World's largest drone cluster lights up Sichuan sky with 33,615 units

China's drone technology entered a new era as 33,000-plus drones performed a record-breaking light show in Dujiangyan City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, setting Guinness World Records for the largest simultaneous drone flight and the largest aerial pattern.

The show featured five chapters blending technology, culture and city renewal. Official certification confirmed breakthroughs in scale, design and aerial display, marking the first time all three elements were achieved together.

In the opening chapter, 33,615 drones demonstrated a display featuring the 28 constellations of the East, echoing Dujiangyan's ancient water-management philosophy of harmony between humanity and nature. Later chapters showcased cultural icons such as giant pandas and floating islands, highlighting the city's heritage and modern vitality.

The city is renowned for its ancient irrigation system, a dam-free water diversion project built in 256 BC. It is the world's oldest and only remaining grand water conservancy project, having withstood floods and earthquakes for more than two millennia, and is still in use today.

A "fish-mouth" shaped weir splits the Minjiang River into an inner channel for irrigation and an outer channel for discharge of flood water.

Dujiangyan Irrigation System was listed as a World Culture Heritage Site by the World Heritage Center, UNESCO in November 2000 and was listed and Drainage as a World Irrigation Engineering Heritage by International Commission on Irrigation in August 2018.

World's largest drone cluster lights up Sichuan sky with 33,615 units

The 22nd China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair closed on Monday in the city of Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province.

The five-day event, which highlights cultural industry development, drew together 310 overseas exhibitors from 65 countries and regions.

In total, eight exhibition halls were set up at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center, including the one featuring cultural industry innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

During the event, 260 new product launch, debut, and premiere events were held in the main venue, showcasing the fusion of sci-tech and culture and injecting momentum into the high-quality development of the cultural industry.

This year's event, for the first time, set up a dedicated exhibition area for APEC economies, showcasing the Asia-Pacific region's achievements in cultural tourism. The region's specialty products, creative cultural products inspired by intangible cultural heritage, and regional delicacies were also on display.

Shenzhen is to host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November this year.

Established in 2004, the fair has become a leading cultural event in China and an important platform to assist the Chinese culture in going global.

22nd China Int'l Cultural Industries Fair closes in Shenzhen