From 10,197 to 11,787: DAMODA Drone Show Guinness World Record Raised to New Heights

On June 17th, 2025, DAMODA, in collaboration with Chongqing Broadcasting Group, achieved a new Guinness World Record for the "Largest Aerial Image Formed by Multirotors/Drones" by deploying an incredible 11,787 drones. This groundbreaking event not only sets a new benchmark in drone technology but also highlights the transformative potential of aerial performances.

In 2024, DAMODA had already made waves by breaking the record with 10,197 drones in a spectacular light show. This achievement garnered praise from high-profile figures, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and China's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hua Chunying. Yet, in 2025, DAMODA's vision expanded even further, elevating the drone show to new heights with 11,787 drones in action. This accomplishment represents:

• A leap in technological innovation

• A celebration of artistry in motion

• A symbol of international cooperation and cultural collaboration

• A milestone for Chinese innovation in global manufacturing

Where did the additional 1,590 drones come from, and why do they matter?

✅  Engineering Advancements - To support the increased number of drones, DAMODA optimized battery trays and cooling systems, reducing the weight of each drone and increasing the total fleet without sacrificing flight duration.

✅  Algorithmic Breakthroughs - A refined flight algorithm allowed for tighter drone formations in airspace that was previously considered unusable, resulting in denser, more intricate visual patterns.

✅  Training and Rehearsals - Two “digital twins” ran over 600 virtual flight simulations, ensuring that the drones performed flawlessly when it was time to take to the skies.

The results were stunning: a sky full of more vibrant pixels, smoother transitions, and a richer color gradient. These innovations convinced Guinness adjudicators to officially certify this achievement as a new world record.

Moreover, during the 2025 Labor Day holiday, DAMODA supported Chongqing's cultural and tourism sector by delivering a recurring drone light show that attracted over 1.2 million on-site spectators in total. On May 1st alone, the show drew more than 300,000 attendees. According to the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism, the city welcomed 18.58 million domestic tourists during the same period - a year-on-year increase of 10.4% - with total tourist spending reaching 15.171 billion yuan, up 16.3% from the previous year.

The drone performance gave a significant boost to the nighttime economy along the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. In the Changjiahui scenic area, the proportion of nighttime visitors rose from 52% to 68%. Nearby hotel search volumes surged by 40%, and sales in surrounding commercial districts increased by 26.6%. The show featured digital renditions of iconic Bayu cultural symbols such as hotpot and Sichuan opera face-changing, sparking widespread discussion online. During the holiday, searches for “Chongqing drone light show” surged 50-fold, with related media coverage garnering over 1 billion views.

How We Engineered the Record

At DAMODA, every moment of this world-record event is underpinned by a culture of safety, innovation, and automation. Our drones are part of a larger ecosystem of flight systems, engineered to be as reliable as they are intelligent.

1) Unmatched Safety: 99.999% Flight Reliability

Safety is the core of everything we design. Our drones are equipped with a triple-redundant communication system, using 5G Wi-Fi, 2.4G, and 900 MHz radio frequencies to ensure continuous control, even in high-interference areas like city centers or crowded events.

Additionally, each drone has an emergency parachute system that automatically deploys within 0.3 seconds of detecting any rapid altitude loss or system failure, ensuring reliability even in the most critical situations.

✅  Over 10,000 public performances with zero accidents

✅  Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): 1 in 1,000,000 flight hours

✅  Built-in waterproofing to handle light rain and temperatures ranging from -20°C to 50°C

2) Endless Flight

DAMODA has revolutionized drone endurance with our fast-docking charging stations, which allow each drone to land, charge, and take off again in just 20 minutes. This enables operators to run multiple shows on a single evening without needing to swap batteries. The modular landing pads are designed to be compact and easy to set up, significantly improving efficiency and speed in dense urban environments. Compared to the previous year, we've reduced site setup time and energy logistics by 10x, making large-scale performances more feasible than ever before.

Global Milestones and Market Impact

From Shanghai to Dubai, DAMODA has made an impact on the world stage. Since 2019, we've performed at high-profile events such as China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala, Expo 2020 Dubai, and numerous international locations. Each engagement has honed our logistical expertise, software capabilities, and cultural fluency in aerial storytelling.

1) Economic Ripple Effects

• Tourism boards report a 20% increase in overnight bookings during drone-show weeks.

• Sponsors see social media mentions averaging 3 million impressions per 10-minute performance.

• City planners are now budgeting for drone light shows at festivals traditionally dominated by fireworks.

2) Creating the Future of Sky Entertainment

Every record we break and every sky we light up brings us closer to shaping the future of large-scale drone entertainment. DAMODA is the first to introduce commercially viable auto-charging nests for drone shows, which offers:

✅  Endless flight cycles across multiple shows per day

✅  Rapid recharging capabilities

✅  Fully automated deployment and recovery

✅  Efficient venue setup with minimal manpower

This isn't just an enhancement - it's a complete redefinition of what drone shows can become.

Why This Drone Show Matters for Brands and Cities

Unlike fireworks, which fade after a single moment, our drone shows create lasting visual impact, producing high-definition footage that can be used in post-event content, AR filters, and virtual metaverse extensions. Some key applications include:

• Product launches - turn a city skyline into a living billboard without breaching light pollution laws.

• National holidays - synchronize historical symbols with national anthems for powerful, patriotic imagery.

• Sports finals - recreate mascots or trophies mid-air, suitable for 8K broadcast.

This Guinness World Record is not just about numbers; it's a testament to what is possible with drone technology. If we can orchestrate 11,787 drones above a bustling city center, we can deliver flawless, bespoke performances with just a thousand drones.

•  Key Takeaways for Industry Leaders

✅  Large-scale drone shows are no longer restricted to fixed locations - they can be performed across cities, regions, and even countries.

✅  Chinese drone manufacturing is at the forefront, leading global innovation.

✅  Automation and AI-driven systems are essential to scaling large performances.

✅  There's growing international demand for safe, reliable, and customizable drone shows.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 Guinness World Record isn't just a milestone - it's a sign of continuous improvement, innovation, and human-centered design. When city skylines transform into canvases for storytelling, audiences look up together, sharing in a collective experience of wonder, hope, and possibility. At DAMODA, we are committed to crafting the next chapter of this story, one carefully choreographed flight at a time.