Verity’s Lucie microdrones took the stage for Justin Bieber’s 2022 Justice World tour

What we did

Verity's Lucie microdrones were a standout addition to Justin Bieber's Justice World tour, showcasing the capabilities of Verity’s autonomous indoor drone system for live events. The drones were used in a creative and impactful way, adding a new dimension to the concert experience. For the intro to "Where Are Ü Now," with its iconic dance choreography, the drones were used to match the musical build-up into the song to get the audience hyped for Justin's entrance. The creative director for the tour, Nick DeMoura, praised the drones for their reliability and versatility in an interview with Lighting and Sound America (LSA) where he states, "We use them once in a transition. We create a funnel above a toaster lift, and they light up Justin as he lifts onto the stage. It’s a cool transition for getting him on the stage. For the song Ghost, which is one of Justin’s biggest hits, they’re like little spirits, surrounding him throughout the song and creating some really beautiful looks." A total of 88 drones were used to create these stunning effects.

Reliable and seamlessly integrated

The Verity system was seamlessly integrated onto the stage and with numerous movable LED screens, with the drones taking off from stage lifts at the right moment thanks to the integration with TAIT's Navigator. This level of integration, combined with the reliability of the system, allows for the drones to be used in even the most complex productions. In the LSA interview, Nick DeMoura adds, "the drones are super-reliable. The only time they don’t work, it’s because of human error. I would recommend them forever."

Verity's drones provide creatives with new and interesting effects for shows, and the success of Justin Bieber's Justice World tour is a testament to the positive impact they have on the shows. With a proven track record, having provided drones for world tours of Metallica, Drake, and Celine Dion, Verity is the go-to provider for autonomous indoor drone systems for live events.

Key Facts

- Year: 2022

- 88 Lucie® micro drones

- Creative director: Nick DeMoura

- Production Manager: Jason Danter

Created by Cirque Éloize, the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 GCC Games took the crowd—along with live television and social media audiences around the globe—on a thrilling, immersive journey through the history, culture, and the evolution of sports across the Gulf nations.

What we did

To bring the ceremony to life, Verity drones were used during the opening segment to create organic shapes that served as interactive props for the onstage artists representing young soccer players. 176 Lucie micro drones were then used to spotlight swimming, tennis, cycling, and other sports in a dynamic, high-speed number that kicked off the event.  In the breathtaking final act, the drones created a giant, rotating motion around an aerial Cyr wheel acrobat, then gathered to create one final shot that flew straight to a giant, illuminated bullseye, to end the number with a thunderous bang.

Coordinated drones

“A show of this size and complexity came with many challenges,” says Steve Maassen of Verity Studios who was the lead drone choreographer on the project. “Coordinating such a large number of drones as they transitioned from one formation to another in such a fast-paced show required tight integration with lights, projection mapping, PixMob, and other visual effects. There was no room for error.” Maassen adds, “The choreography with the many acrobats was very elaborate. Every acrobatic action—such as the Cyr wheel going up and down or a human pyramid being built—required the highest level of precision to deliver performances that perfectly coordinated acrobats, effects, and 176 flying Lucies.”

 “Verity Studios proved to be the ideal partner to deliver stunning drone effects that added an entirely new element to Cirque Éloize,” says Jean-Philippe La Couture, Vice president production at Cirque Éloize, “The entire team was extremely knowledgeable and professional, ultimately helping us to create a production that exceeded our already high expectations. Thank you, Verity Studios, for helping make the GCC Games Opening Ceremony a wonderful success!”

Key Facts

Year: 2022

Number of Lucie® micro drones: 176 + 56 Lucie micro drones

One-off show

Drones coordinated with the performers, stage lighting, projections and music

As Dion raises her arms, 104 Verity drones rise from the stage, dramatically turning blue and thronging around Dion as the song reaches its crescendo.

Canadian singer Céline Dion has had a career spanning decades. Having sold more than 200 million records worldwide, she is the best-selling Canadian artist and one of the best-selling artists of all time.

The 2019-2020 Courage World Tour is Dion’s first tour since beginning her second concert residency in Las Vegas in 2011. Her biggest hit, “My Heart Will Go On,” was always the highlight of the show, augmented by a waterfall that cascades around her as she sings.

For Dion’s new tour, show designer Yves Aucoin who has worked with her for more than 20 years, wanted to find a similarly impressive effect.

To create this effect, Aucoin contacted Verity Studios to use its micro drones to create an impactful, water-themed choreography for the much-awaited encore of Dion’s show, the song “My Heart Will Go On.” As Dion raises her arms, 104 Verity drones rise from the stage, dramatically turning blue and thronging around Dion as the song reaches its crescendo. In the final strains of the song, the drones hover above Céline before descending to the stage one by one. A single drone sinks towards Dion’s outstretched hands before it lifts away as she raises her hands.

Key Facts

·       Year: 2019 - 2020

·       Number of Lucie® micro drones: 104

·       Area of flight space: 80 ft. x 40 ft. (24m x 12m)

·       Number of shows: 110

·       Show director: Yves Aucoin

·       Operating personnel: Client-operated

·       Drones coordinated with music, performer and lighting

Verity Studios Lucie® micro drones embark on a journey on the high seas, aboard Royal Caribbean's "Odyssey of the Seas" and "Spectrum of the Seas".

The Effectors tells the story of four superheroes with the ability to control show effects like lasers, lights, video, and audio. The superheroes unite their powers to fight the villain Crash who, with his Lucie micro drone minions, tries to take over the world.

Verity’s fourth show with Royal Caribbean, the team was faced with the challenge of bringing its drone shows to a new level of immersive entertainment. To achieve this, Verity developed a choreography that flies out over the audience to illuminate the guests with intense red light.

As villain Crash raises his arms, the drone army rises to the sky and circles him before Crash sends them on their campaign to march out over the audience. As he lowers his arms, the drones sink closer and closer to the audience before breaking into a geometric formation.

VP of Entertainment Nick Weir tweeted, “Drones are a big part of the Royal Caribbean Productions drive. We are continuously developing our drone program. Experimenting/testing new, original and dramatic ways to use this technology, and push its boundaries. For us, it is super important that this exciting visual effect contributes to the narratives in our complex productions.”

Key Facts

• 48 Lucie® micro drones

• 2 shows per cruise

• 12m x 7m (39ft x 23ft) stage

• Performed above the audience and integrated with stage lights

• Operated by client

• Launched 2019 and is ongoing

As part of the celebrations for the musical’s 30th year on stage, Starlight Express decided to use 29 Lucie® micro drones in the emotional pinnacle of the show: the Starlight Sequence.

The rock musical Starlight Express tells the story of a child’s toy trains magically coming to life and racing against each other to be crowned the fastest engine in the world. Underdog Rusty ultimately wins the race and the heart of first-class coach Pearl when he is inspired by the legend of the Starlight Express.

As part of the celebrations for the musical’s 30th year on stage, Starlight Express decided to use 29 Lucie® micro drones in the emotional pinnacle of the show: the Starlight Sequence.

Starlight Express press officer Frederika Gerwe said that though she’s seen lots of different types of lighting in shows, the Lucie micro drones were something special. “It was just magical. I’ve never seen something like the drones before. I had goose bumps everywhere.”

“It was quite amazing, because the audience just did not really recognize drones,” said Starlight Express managing director Burkhard Koch. “It was just the magic of the whole scene, which was of course created by the drones flying around.”

In such a quiet and emotional scene, the team at Starlight Express had some concerns about the noise 29 drones could make. However, they quickly realized this would not be an issue. “The most incredible thing was that we expected them to interfere with the sound, but it was not the case at all. It was really nice to integrate them in a musical way,” said Koch.

He was also impressed with the way the creative team, technicians and Verity worked together to create something unique and powerful. “We worked really as a team. We created some completely new things which have never been seen. Getting these classical lighting designs together with this new technology is fantastic,” said Koch.

Key Facts

• Year: 2018 - ongoing

• 29 Lucie® micro drones

• Integrated with stage infrastructure

• Drones coordinated with music, lighting, projections, and performer’s movements and costume

• Drones landed off-stage in the wings for a seamless transition between scenes

• 13m x 13m (43ft x 43ft) stage

• Won the Guinness World Record for most visited musical

• Created by Andrew Lloyd Weber

• Fully client operated

Touring with Drake in 2018 and 2019, Verity Studios’ micro drones light up the stage with flying waves and a drone swarm cloud.

Grammy award-winning Canadian artist Drake is one of the best-selling rappers of the 21st century. Performing to audiences of more than 50,000 people, his previous North American tour broke the record for the highest grossing hip-hop tour of all time. This is a first for the Lucie micro drones, debuting with a rap artist on the back of touring with rock band Metallica and Circus Knie. Grammy award-winning Canadian artist Drake is one of the best-selling rappers of the 21st century.
Touring with Drake from July to November 2018, Verity Studios’ micro drones light up the stage with flying waves and a drone swarm cloud. Elevate, a song on Drake’s new album Scorpion, opens with the micro drones swarming onto the stage to surround Drake in a cloud of lights to the roar of the audience. In another guest appearance, the Lucie micro drones create a glittering wave in the song Look Alive.
Touring across 25 venues in North America, the miniature back-up dancers have made a splash on social media and in the press, with featured stories by Rolling Stone, CNET, and Gizmodo.
Rolling Stone noted that artists are focusing more on creating shareable, iconic moments in their shows. “They’ll remember “Drake’s dancing lights” and associate the display with a one-of-a-kind experience at a specific artist’s show. Shows that are able to visually distinguish themselves from the otherwise-homogeneous slew of other concerts are the ones that stick around in people’s minds.”

Key Facts

• Year: 2018-2019

• 88 Lucie® micro drones in 2 choreographies

• 18m x 8m (60 ft x 26 ft) stage

• Performed in 32 venues across North America and Europe

• 75 public shows

• Client operated

• Drones coordinated with artist, 360⁰ LED screen stage and lighting

• Drones land in the hands of stage technicians on either side of catwalk

• Creative director: Willo Perron

To kick off its new brand campaign, BT (British Telecom) contacted Verity to create a record-breaking drone show based on shapes coded by school children.

In an event starring Jess Glynne and hosted by Tess Daly, drones took off from backstage in the form of hearts, spirals, and butterflies, displaying the shapes the children from St Joseph’s school had coded. Towards the end of the song “I’ll Be There”, the full 160 drones create two intersecting waves before forming a ring around the new BT logo.

“When BT approached us to work with them to achieve this Guinness World Record by flying 160 drones indoors, we weren’t fazed by the tight timeline. This is the first time we’ve collaborated with children and it was a great test for our system to show how flexible it really is. It was a rewarding experience to work on this project, and we are proud to have supported BT in achieving this milestone,” said Verity technical project manager Alex Tintore.

As an integral part of this campaign, BT chose Verity to work on the drone show to ensure it would be a success.

“Verity’s autonomous flying machines have become a standard line item for many high-end productions. Using proprietary technology, Verity’s autonomous drones offer unrivaled safety and reliability within a sophisticated system that can be operated by ordinary client staff. From live events to industrial settings, autonomous indoor drones can fundamentally transform the way we deploy lights, scenography, and sensors in space,” said Verity CEO and Founder Raffaello D’Andrea.

Key Facts

· Year: 2019

· Number of Lucie® micro drones: 160

· Area of flight space: 66 ft. x 62 ft. (20m x 19m)

· One-off show

· Operating personnel: Verity Studios

· Guinness World Record for the most UAVs airborne simultaneously from a single computer

· Drone created shapes designed by school children

· Drones coordinated with the performer, stage lighting, LED screen and music

Metallica is the first tour featuring Verity Studios’ Lucie micro drones, bringing a new dimension to their recent hit “Moth into Flame”

Heavy metal band Metallica has been traveling the world with their WorldWired tour since summer 2017. To kick off the arena tour, they decided to raise the stakes for their song Moth into Flame with a world first. As the music builds, 99 of Verity’s Lucie® micro drones emerge from below the stage to swarm around the band. This is the world’s first autonomous drone swarm performance in a major touring act. The drone show was produced in collaboration with TAIT Towers.  

“After the first night we successfully piloted the drones, James Hetfield walked over to a microphone and announced to the audience how “f—ing cool” the show had been because of Verity’s drones,” said Dan Braun, show director for the band Metallica. “It’s magnificent what they are doing, whether you see it live or on social media. The programmers of the drones do a great job.” 

With Metallica, the drones toured Europe and North America from Summer 2017 until March 2019.

Key facts.

• The world’s first autonomous indoor drone show for a touring act
• Year: 2017 - 2019
• Show director: Dan Braun
• 13m x 13m (44 ft x 44ft) main stage
• 99 Lucie micro drones
• Fully client operated
• Performed in more than 20 countries worldwide
• Integrated with 360-degree stage infrastructure and stage lifts
• Drones coordinated with band, video projections and lighting
• Drones landed in stage lifts for easy removal 

The third installment of Zhang Yimou and China Kingway’s concept series, 2047 Apologue, is an exploration of how traditional Chinese performance can be combined with modern technology to impressive effect.

Having previously participated in season 1, Verity was tasked with creating a custom drone ballet for one of the eight performances 2047 Apologue showcased.

“We chose to work with Verity a second time because Verity Studios is a very professional and reliable team. Verity also has the only technology in the world that has drones with minimal noise which is super for stage shows,” said Lulu He, General Production Manager for China Kingway.

Verity worked closely with China Kingway to develop the creative concept; a social commentary on the environmental impact of consumer behavior.
 
“The plastic bag performance talks about pollution. We have a very serious problem in Beijing, China I believe, but it’s also a world problem. People are producing plastics and wasting them, contributing to environmental problems. This is a very serious issue for everyone in the world,” said He.

Floating, twisting and turning around a large tree installed on the stage, the 66 Lucie micro drones were disguised as plastic bags.  Coordinated with a traditional Chinese performer and dancers on stage, the drones disappeared into the background, the lighting cleverly hiding the black drones and highlighting the stark white of the plastic bags. At the crescendo, a cloud of plastic falls from the skies, cleverly navigated by the flying drones.

“My first thought when I saw the plastic bags flying was that it’s completely different. It has a strong impact, and it doesn’t look like any other prop in a stage show. It looks more meaningful. With more than 50 drones and tailored costumes, it will have a very strong impact and look very special,” said He.

Key Facts

• Year: 2019

• 66 Lucie® micro drones dressed in bespoke plastic bag costumes

• Drones coordinated with dancers, traditional Chinese performer, large tree stage element and falling plastic bags

• 13m x 20m x 8.5m (43 ft. x 66 ft. x 28 ft.) stage

• Director: Zhang Yimou

• Verity operated

With an estimated 1 billion viewers across the globe, the show is the most-watched TV program in the world. In 2019, Chinese lantern drones took flight above 50 dancers and famous singers Sun Nan and Jason Zhang.

The CCTV (China Central Television) New Year’s Gala is the world’s most-watched TV program. This event was broadcast live to an estimated 1 billion viewers across the globe. With 88 Lucie® micro drones flying over performers in red Chinese lantern costumes, this is the largest number of costumed drones ever seen in a performance.
 

Sponsored by TikTok, a leading social media platform in Asia, the show opens to “The Distance of Time”, sung by popular singer Sun Nan and up-and-coming pop star Jason Zhang. As the song builds, 88 Lucie micro drones fly from the back of the stage like butterflies to dance above the 70 performers dressed as blossoming cherry trees.

The Chinese lantern costumes adorning the Lucie micro drones were all designed and produced by the world’s only drone costume designer and Verity employee, Léa Pereyre. Pereyre creates the costume design in CAD software before laser-cutting the materials and assembling the costumes. The drones feature special guards that have pre-defined slots to easily attach costume elements. This concept makes it easy to quickly create large numbers of costumes and transform drones into moving pieces of scenography, props and even characters.

Leading Chinese smart media entertainment company, Keey Media, collaborated with Verity Studios on behalf of the main sponsor TikTok to produce the segment for the 2019 CCTV New Year’s Gala. Wan Li of Keey Media said he was excited to work with Verity to produce this spectacle:
 
“When the drones floated up from the back of the stage, it was a very special moment. We specialize in live entertainment, but we’ve never seen anything like this before. We see a lot of potential in this technology for entertainment and we’re excited to see what comes next.”

Key Facts

• Year: 2019

• 88 Lucie® micro drones

• Custom Chinese lantern costumes

• 17m x 17m x 10m (56ft x 56ft x 33ft) stage

• Watched by over 1 billion people

• Operated by Verity

• Drones coordinated with LED screens, 70 dancers' movements and 2 famous Chinese pop stars

An ice rink in Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas ship hosts 1977, an ice skating spectacular.

A new ice rink in the Symphony of the Seas hosts ‘1977’, an ice skating spectacular. The show opens with an aerial ballet by 48 Lucie® micro drones whose lights change in sync to the music.

“We were blown away by 1977, the ice show, which uses incredible technology to fly swarms of drones like tiny fireflies,” said the publication Cruise Passenger.

The extreme temperatures of an ice rink adds another dimension to the already-challenging cruise ship environment. But the Verity indoor drone show system continues to wow audiences night after night.

“On two occasions, we got a standing ovation and we hadn’t even started the show. So that was very cool,” said Nick Weir, VP of Entertainment at Royal
Caribbean.

This is the world’s first autonomous indoor drone show on an ice rink.

Key Facts

• The world’s first autonomous indoor drone show on an ice rink

• Year: 2018 - ongoing

• 48 Lucie® micro drones

• Fully client operated

• 180+ public shows with many more to come

• Integrated with ice rink infrastructure

• Coordinated with lights, projections and music

• 10m x 20m (34 ft x 65 ft) flight space

• Performed all over the world on the high seas

Verity Studios, the global leader in indoor drone technology, has brought an immersive experience to The Dubai Mall’s 10 Year Celebrations, with a drone show as part of a daily light and sound spectacle.

Talisman is a creation by Lune Rouge Entertainment, the new live entertainment company started by Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil.

Created to celebrate the Dubai Mall’s 10th anniversary, Talisman tells the poetic and inspiring story of a dream come true, from sand to city, from vision to reality.

At show time, an LED-screen tower in the middle of the Star Atrium in the mall came to life with psychedelic patterns and animations to create an immersive multimedia show.

But the most surprising element for the mall’s more than 750,000 weekly visitors was a swarm of 44 Lucie micro drones circling the tower, complemented by stage fog and lasers. When the show starts, a single hero drone dressed as a red desert flower circles the central pillar before being joined by its companions in a grand finale.

Talisman is an example of how a joint creative vision can result in a compelling combination of drone technology with more traditional effects such as LED screens or stage fog.

Key Facts

• Year: 2018

• 44 Lucie® micro drones

• Featured 4 costumed micro drones

• 10m (33 ft) diameter circular stage

• 34 public shows

• Fully client operated

• Drones coordinated with film, lasers, stage fog and a central LED-screen pillar

• Integrated with mall architecture

Verity Studios’ Lucie micro drones are featured as part of the on-board entertainment for Princess Cruises’ new ship, the Majestic Princess.

What we did

Princess Cruises launched a new cruise ship in April 2017: the Majestic Princess. Onboard was a world first, a swarm of flying Lucie® micro drones dancing and interacting with a singer onstage. The show drones synchronize their movements and lights to the show’s music and stage effects, which include stage lighting, projections, and stage fog as part of the ship’s show: Fantastic Journey. 

Show director, Danny Teeson, said the choreographed drones were “visually stunning”. “The drones speak for themselves. To have a fantastic singer be elevated amongst choreographed drones – you don’t need anything else. It just transports you for that moment.” 

Cruise ships are challenging environments for many technology installations and this success speaks to the maturity of Verity’s indoor drone show system.

“We told Verity it would be a challenge, but they said ’we can do it’,” said Tracy Andronek, Production Operations Automation, Scenic and Drones.

The Lucie micro drones have now fascinated audiences in over 100 performances, with many more to come. “They were just mesmerized at the drones and you can see people pointing and saying ‘ahhhh’ during the number,” said Andronek.
This is the world’s first autonomous indoor drone swarm performance on a cruise ship. 

Key Facts.

• The world’s first autonomous indoor drone show on a cruise ship
• Year: 2017 - ongoing
• 6.1m x 7.32m (20 ft x 24 ft) flight space
• Directed by: Danny Teeson
• Performed all over the world on the high seas
• 14 Lucie® micro drones
• Fully client operated
• Integrated with cruise ship stage infrastructure
• Drones coordinated with music, lighting, projections, stage fog and singer’s movements

Featuring 32 Lucie micro drones performing in unison with acrobats under the enchanting roof of a big top provides feast for the senses.

What we did.

Switzerland’s national circus travels the country each year with its acrobats and menagerie. In the past, Circus Knie toured with elephants, a highlight of the show. But after deciding to retire its elephants to a peaceful life in the Knies Kinderzoo (children’s zoo), Circus Knie needed to replace them with something just as spectacular.

So, Circus Knie decided to add 32 of Lucie® micro drones to the mix. Dancing under the roof of the big-top circus tent, the drones perform alongside the family act, which includes Franco Knie Jr., his wife Linna and son Chris Rui. “This is a world premier for Swiss audiences,” said Franco Knie Jr. “Such an act is unique in a traveling circus.”

With this act, Knie Jr. was excited about combining technology and tradition. "At Circus Knie, we always make sure that we present modern elements in addition to tradition to offer a show for young and old," he said. “In search of components for the modern touch, we soon became aware of Verity Studios’ fantastic drone shows online. After first discussions, we quickly agreed that the drones should become one of the highlights of our 2018 program.”

Based on the feedback from audiences, it was the right decision. “We have received much positive feedback from visitors who appreciate the drone show, especially the interaction between light and music. We also often hear from visitors that they like it because it's something completely new and different in a circus show.”

A traveling circus is a challenging environment, but Knie Jr. said Verity was up to the challenge. “The experts at Verity Studios have responded very well and quickly to the special needs we face in the traveling circus business.”

This is the world’s first autonomous indoor drone swarm to tour with a circus.

Key facts.

• The world’s first autonomous indoor drone show in a touring circus
• Year: 2018
• 10m diameter (44 ft) circular stage
• Performed 7 shows per week for 9 months
• Performed in 38 locations
• 32 Lucie® micro drones
• Fully client operated
• Integrated with circus tent infrastructure
• Drones coordinated with live musicians, lighting and acrobatics

Verity Studios is making its debut on the American sports scene as a highlight of the New York Knicks season home opener at Madison Square Garden.

Lighting up the sky at Madison Square Garden, Verity’s Lucie® micro drones were some of the most valuable players in the 2017-2018 New York Knicks season.

In the pre-game show, the micro drones flew in sync with 16 dancers and their LED costumes in front of more than 20,000 audience members for 40 shows.

The micro drones flew above the Knicks City Dancers in the team’s brand colors, in a variety of configurations before landing gently in the performers’ outstretched hands.

This was the world’s first permanent autonomous indoor drone show in a full-scale arena.

Key facts.

• Year: 2017 - 2018
• Permanent Installation
• 9m x 9m (30 ft x 30 ft) flight space
• 40 shows completed
• First permanent indoor drone show in a full-scale arena
• 32 Lucie® micro drones
• Fully client operated
• Integrated with 360° stage infrastructure
• Drones coordinated with music, projections, moving lights and LED costumes  

The Lucie™ micro drones opened the 2018 RSA Conference in a one-time performance at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Opening the 2018 RSA Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, 32 Lucie® micro drones danced in harmony with 3 opera singers.

The micro drones were carefully choreographed to convey the changing emotions of the act. “When the drones first appeared, the song was light and melodic – and the drones were like fireflies and beautiful,” said Sandra Toms from the RSA Conference. “As the song changed to dark and moody, the drones changed to an ominous red color.”

RSA is the world’s leading cyber security conference, so the addition of cutting-edge drone technology ideally complemented the opening act. “When the drones came back, people in the back jumped up and used their phones to video tape what was happening,” said Toms. “It was unexpected, and the audience appreciated the surprise.”

Key facts.

• Year: 2018
• One-time event
• 18.29m x 12.19m (60 ft x 40 ft) flight space
• 32 Lucie® micro drones
• Operated by Verity Studios
• Integrated with stage infrastructure
• Drones coordinated with music and lighting

15 Lucie® micro drones in lampshade costumes lit up the Carrousel du Louvre, participating in the 2019 USI Events Conference.

A potent concentration of all things digital, the annual USI conference challenges, explores and questions the future; artificial intelligence, ethics, design, economy, philosophy and neuroscience. As part of this year's USI conference in Paris, Verity's founder and CEO Raffaello D'Andrea gave a presentation titled "Flying Machines" and presented a live drone costume show to the audience. The Lucie micro drones were dressed as lampshades in the French colors. They performed an aerial ballet to the French classic "La Valse d'Amélie".
The drone choreography began with circular motions and swarm-like movements and ended with a depiction of the French flag, flying in the wind. The lampshade costumes adorning the Lucie micro drones were all designed and produced by Verity's Léa Pereyre, the world’s only drone costume designer.

Costumed drones were not the only highlight of the event. The one-hour presentation by D'Andrea covered cutting-edge topics, such as artificial intelligence, social media, cryptocurrencies, and the potential of drones in the industrial space.

"Science is about discovering what the world is about and engineering is about creating what doesn’t exist” explained D’Andrea, when elaborating on his inner drive. "I was interested in how to use knowledge to create things, it’s the real difference between science and engineering. Most people don’t realize there is a difference, but there is a huge difference."

Photo credits: USI Events

Key Facts

• Year: 2019

• 15 Lucie® micro drones

• Custom French lampshade costumes

• 4m x 24m x 6m (13ft x 79ft x 20ft) stage

• Operated by Verity

At the official TED2016 Conference in Canada, Verity Studios founder and CEO Raffaello D’Andrea stunned the live audience with the world’s first autonomous indoor drone light show.

A single micro drone takes off from D’Andrea’s hand before being joined by 32 more glowing fireflies. Swarming together around the stage and out above the audience, the micro drones debuted to the visible delight of the audience.

“That was truly spectacular, a big highlight of the conference,” said Chris Anderson, owner and curator of TED. “It’s hard to over-emphasize how much impact this had in the theater. A truly great TED moment.”

This was the world’s first ever autonomous indoor drone show.

The performance at TED 2016 was just the beginning for Verity Studios. Quickly followed by installations for Cirque du Soleil and Metallica, Verity Studios has amazed audiences worldwide with its pioneering indoor drone light shows.

Key Facts

• The world’s first ever autonomous indoor drone show

• Year: 2016

• 33 Lucie® micro drones

• Operated by Verity Studios

• Drones flew above the stage and the audience

• 6 million + views

Verity Studios’ work was featured in Paramour, the Broadway show by Cirque du Soleil. Contributions included the choreography of the show segment, the frame design and lighting design of the lamp shade costumes, and all technologies related to the autonomous show drones and their operation.

What we did.

During their run on Broadway, the Stage Flyer drones completed 398 public shows, including more than 7,000 autonomous takeoffs, flights, and landings, in front of an audience of up to 2,000 people per show, all of them without safety nets. The system was entirely client-operated, with the theatre staff providing routine maintenance and the show’s automation carpenter running all shows. Verity Studios provided maintenance services twice per year.

Sparked is a short film that combines human dramatic performance with a group of computer controlled drones, resulting from a collaboration between Verity Studios, ETH Zurich, and Cirque du Soleil.

What we did.

Sparked is a short film that combines human dramatic performance with a group of computer controlled drones, resulting from a collaboration between Verity Studios, ETH Zurich, and Cirque du Soleil. The video features Verity Studios’ Stage Flyer drones in a variety of bespoke drone costumes. Its visual textures are real – no CGI or wires, slow-mo or fast-forwards were used to enhance what you see.