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  "path": "/news/world/australia-sydney-drones-nosedive-harbour-mass-glitch",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-27T05:06:12.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Melbourne airport plunged into 'total shutdown' with bomb squad called in and terminal evacuated",
    "Tributes pour in for father-of-two killed in horror shark attack at popular holiday hotspot",
    "Swimmer mauled to death by gigantic great white shark after attack in popular holiday destination",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nOnlooks were forced to run for cover as drones nosedived into Sydney's Darling Harbour after a mass glitch.\n\nSome 89 drones crashed down into the water after a malfunction which sent workers and tourists fleeing.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nBritish company Skymagic, who organised the light show, said a change in radio frequency was to blame for the malfunction.\n\nThe drone formation was preforming at Vivid Sydney, a winter festival.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nAuthorities said it was not an intentional malicious attempt to jam the drones.\n\nOne witness, who gave his name as Robert, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he had seen drones \"crashing\" into the maria.\n\nHe said: \"Everything seemed normal, and then very shortly after that first image was displayed, on the southern side of Cockle Bay, you started seeing drones dropping in the water, and then from there it was a cascading failure of the drones.\n\n\"The sound of them crashing on the wharf was considerable. You could hear them crash and smash on to the cement marina. They’re not meant to fly over anyone or even close to anyone, and [they] fell within metres of people I was with.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe said the glitched drones were a \"catastrophic failure\" and a \"big concern\".\n\nNow, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has launched a probe into the cause of the failure.\n\nOf SkyMagic's 1,000 drones, 83 lost connection and crashed into the harbour.\n\nSix more drones landed on various boardwalks and a bridge, though SkyMagic's head of operations Dyfan Rhys said no drones escaped the exclusion zone.\n\n### LATEST FROM AUSTRALIA:\n\n\n\n\n  * Melbourne airport plunged into 'total shutdown' with bomb squad called in and terminal evacuated\n  * Tributes pour in for father-of-two killed in horror shark attack at popular holiday hotspot\n  * Swimmer mauled to death by gigantic great white shark after attack in popular holiday destination\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Rhys said: \"It's really important to hammer home that there were no safety concerns at that show.\"\n\nAuthorities are also attempting to retrieve the drones amid concerns their lithium-ion batteries could pollute water.\n\nFurther displays planned for Tuesday and Wednesday evening were cancelled, but it remains unclear if the Sunday show could continue.\n\nMonday's malfunction may have cost between $1,500 (£750) and $2,400 (£1,200) per drone according to Nigel Browne, the CEO of company Drone Sky Shows.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe added that drones which fell in the water would not be fixable and would never fly again.\n\nVivid Sydney insisted no drones fell outside the safety perimeters and said the cause was \"an unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment occurring after take-off\".\n\nA spokesman said: \"During the performance on the evening of 25 May, Skymagic experienced a technical issue that resulted in 89 drones landing in the water around Cockle Bay [the wharf area in Darling Harbour].\"\n\nThe show had been cancelled in accordance with \"standard safety protocols\", a spokesman for the festival said, adding: \"Public safety is always the number one priority and a full assessment is now under way, with the specialist operators and relevant government agencies advising on next steps.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Onlookers run for cover as drones nosedive into Sydney Harbour after mass glitch"
}