Expats, foreign media rave about SZ drone show

A spectacular display of 12,000 drones marking the 45th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone — 6,000 over Civic Center Square and 6,000 over Shenzhen Talent Park — produced simultaneous images that drew worldwide attention.

Photo by Liu Xudong

The global audience was impressed not only by the technical prowess and beautiful designs but also by the show's celebration of the Shenzhen SEZ's remarkable achievements and the vibrant enthusiasm of the local community.

Shenzhen Daily streamed the event live on its YouTube (@Shenzhen Daily) and X (@szdaily1) channels to share the celebration with a global audience.

The show's impact was felt across the globe. Sudan's Sinopanorama.net, a niche website focused on China-Sudan relations, reposted Shenzhen Daily’s story — “12,000 drones, light show illuminate SZ for 45th anniversary” —  along with a translation in Arabic for its readers. Abdelwahab Guma Mohamed Naiem, editor-in-chief of Sinopanorama.net, sent his congratulations, “Happy 45th birthday to SZ SEZ.”

BRICS Africa Channel in South Africa distributed two Shenzhen Daily videos via its streaming app, FreeVision Play, as well as on its YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook channels, bringing the spectacle to viewers thousands of kilometers away.

Melissa Hollow, media manager for BRICS Africa Channel in South Africa, told Shenzhen Daily, “It is so amazing to watch the video.”

The event drew local expats to watch in person. Some of them also shared the spectacle online to spread the celebration to every corner of the world.

Aaron Lutze, an American YouTuber and mountain bike athlete, made a special trip to Lianhua Hill Park to witness the show during his second visit to the city.

“Seeing 12,000 drones in the sky at once was absolutely incredible,” he said, noting that the experience reaffirmed his view of Shenzhen as a "city of the future." Capturing the moment with a camera from Shenzhen-based DJI, Lutze shared that he plans to bring a DJI drone home as a souvenir of this high-tech marvel.

Video by Lin Jianping

Famous Dutch YouTuber Sander Kole, who grew up in Shenzhen and calls himself a “Shenzhener forever,” returned on Monday specifically for the occasion. “It’s really amazing to come back and to see this all. There are no words to describe it. To see all these drones moving at one time, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Kole told Shenzhen Daily at Shenzhen Talent Park. “It’s so beautiful to see Shenzhen grow so much every time I come back.”

Video by Lin Jianping

Dutch artist Joseph Klibansky was particularly moved during the show, opening his arms to the sky with excitement upon seeing his own artwork displayed by the drones. “Being a foreigner, to collaborate with a beautiful city like this obviously is very special,” said Klibansky.

“They see something special in my work. Gratitude is the right word.” He added, “When I heard how many drones were going to be there and how long the flight time was, I knew I was doing something really special here together with the team in this city.”

The event also resonated online. Russian vlogger Maxim Sotnikov posted his on-site footage of the drone show on his Instagram (@masenshen), where it has garnered over 16,000 views. The post has received comments from Russians wishing the Shenzhen SEZ a happy birthday, with many netizens expressing their surprise and awe, saying it "opened a new world" for them.

After Brazilian content creator Cyntia Midori Yamauchi posted the drone show video on her Instagram (@cymyemidori), her comment section filled with praise for Shenzhen's incredible growth and possibilities demonstrated over 45 years.

Similarly, posts by Turkish social media influencer Ugur Kayan (@shenzhenexpat) about the drone show attracted over 10,000 views, sparking lively discussions about whether Shenzhen would be an ideal travel destination.