Derry’s Halloween plans are well and truly up in the air it was confirmed at today’s Business and Culture Committee meeting – as exciting plans for a dazzling drone display were unveiled.
The first of its kind in N. Ireland, the drone show will light up the sky over St Columb’s Park on Halloween night, with 100 drones projecting a variety of spooky Halloween themed images. The show is supported by BT, who will also supply the technology for the display ensuring wireless connectivity on the night.
The event is part of the Smart Derry Strabane Programme supporting the delivery of advanced connectivity, helping citizens and businesses to capitalise on the benefits and economic opportunities for growth through digitalisation and emerging disruptive technologies. The drone display will be a “Proof of Concept” demonstration and will be used as evidence to support the development of the Outline Business Case for the Smart Derry Strabane City Deal programme.
The drones will take to the skies just following the Halloween Carnival Parade, and parade goers can view the display perfectly from Queen’s Quay, just ahead of the traditional fireworks display over the Foyle.
Council’s Head of Culture, Aeidin McCarter, told Business and Culture Committee members the show was the perfect addition to this year’s Halloween programme.
“We are delighted to have this opportunity to partner with BT to deliver such an exciting new experience as part of the Derry Halloween programme,” she declared. “The drone display harnesses the most innovative technology to create an atmospheric show which will really captivate audiences.
“The final touches are being put to the wider Halloween programme which we look forward to unveiling in the coming days. And this is just the icing on the cake. We are so pleased that BT have lent their support to the event and provided the technical expertise to deliver this new experience which will be a huge hit with the crowds.”
Chair of the Business and Culture Committee, Councillor Brian Harte, welcomed the announcement. “The drone display will be a fantastic new highlight, harnessing the latest technology to deliver something completely unique to our Halloween celebrations. We are always striving to find creative and innovative elements to enhance our events programme and to be the first to deliver a display of this kind in the country is really exciting. The event will also demonstrate how we are working with business partners such as BT to enhance infrastructure and connectivity as part of the wider Smart Derry Strabane Programme, so it has real significance in practical terms for the entire City and District.”
Janet Burns, Senior Manager at BT in Northern Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Smart Derry Strabane Programme to help to deliver this first of its kind drone show in Northern Ireland, showcasing the power of wireless connectivity through our 5G. As a business, we’re at the core of Northern Ireland’s digital future and infrastructure, offering the fastest and most reliable connectivity and innovation solutions for both businesses and consumers to benefit everyone across Northern Ireland.
“We are looking forward to the evening and what will be a fantastic Halloween drone display!”
