Vivid Sydney has been hit by a double backlash after dozens of drones plunged into Darling Harbour and patrons slammed a separate display as inappropriate for a family-friendly event.
Drone Malfunction at Darling Harbour
A dramatic drone malfunction over Sydney's Darling Harbour forced one of Vivid's major showcase events to be halted after dozens of drones appeared to rain from the sky and plunge into the water below, with some yet to be recovered. The incident occurred on Monday evening, causing shows scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday night to be cancelled while a technical and safety review is carried out.
A Vivid Sydney spokesperson said in a statement: 'We apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience caused to attendees. Public safety is always the number one priority and a full assessment is now underway with the specialist operators and relevant government agencies advising on next steps.'
A worker at Darling Harbour told ABC Local Radio there appeared to be a 'cascading failure of the drones'. '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,' he said.
The drone show's operator, Sky Magic, reported that 89 drones landed in the waters of Cockle Bay. The company stated: 'No vehicle escaped the safety boundary of the show parameters and the reaction of the pilots and crew were timely and appropriate in accordance with our operations manual and processes. Some vehicles during the emergency landing phase encountered the geofence boundary and shut down to preserve the safety zone, resulting in them falling into the water.' Sky Magic attributed the incident to an unforeseen change in the radio frequency environment.
Controversial Projection at Circular Quay
Vivid also faced criticism over a separate projection display at Circular Quay that featured performers dressed in revealing outfits despite the event's family-friendly focus. Lenny Sinclair, a two-time Australian Kickboxing Champion, was enjoying the annual event on Monday when he spotted a display of scantily clad dancers at Circular Quay. In footage he shared on social media, a woman in a pink revealing bodysuit could be seen thrusting during a dance, projected on the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia building.
'Multiple men and women half naked are sexualised on this building, while there's family and children around... yuck,' he wrote in the caption. Some Australians on social media were shocked by the video, saying it was not family-friendly. One user commented: 'It's f***ing disgusting that we promote this s*** and in front of children.' Another added: 'Imagine having to explain this to your kids.'
