Hong Kong’s cultural chief on Wednesday pledged to prepare better contingency plans for large public events after two drone shows to celebrate National Day had to be cancelled due to unexpected meteorological conditions.
The two drone displays, scheduled to take place on Monday night and Tuesday night as part of the city’s celebratory line-up for the National Day holidays, were both grounded at the last minute due to the effects of ionospheric disturbances — a meteorological phenomenon caused by solar activity — leaving many residents and visitors disappointed.
On Wednesday afternoon, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said the Hong Kong government will formulate better contingency plans when preparing for events in the future.
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He said that, although the organizers had prepared different contingency plans for the shows, it was difficult to predict how long the astronomical phenomenon would last. Given the large size of the crowds waiting onsite to see the performances, the organizers ultimately decided to cancel the displays, he added.
Yeung said that adjustments to performances had to be made based on the actual circumstances, and that he hopes those attending the event will understand the situation, as astronomical phenomena are uncontrollable.
He added that the celebratory vibe over the two nights was not diminished, as the other parts of the show — such as the chorus and fireworks show — met expectations thanks to the hard work of the performers.
Drones rely on satellite signals from the Global Positioning System to determine their position during performances, explained Leung Wing-mo, spokesperson for the Hong Kong Meteorological Society and a former assistant director of the Hong Kong Observatory.
Therefore, disturbances in the ionosphere can potentially disrupt drone operations, as GPS signals must pass through the ionosphere to reach the ground, said the veteran meteorologist, adding that the disruptions usually peak in the hours after dusk, which unfortunately coincided with the times the drone shows should have been held.
However, event organizers had to make their decision based on the real-time monitoring of scientific data to determine whether the performances should have proceeded, as disturbances in the ionosphere are imperceptible to humans and difficult to predict in terms of their timing and duration, Leung added.
He also said that this type of phenomenon may occur more frequently in the future, as this year and 2025 will see a peak in solar activities, which may cause more ionospheric disturbances.
Sky Yeung King-sheung, chairman of the Drone Association Hong Kong, said he supports the decisions to cancel the shows, as performing during ionospheric disturbances may compromise display quality and increase the risks of drone collisions and drops due to inaccurate positioning, which could be dangerous with large-scale displays involving thousands of drones — as the one planned for Monday would have been.
The drone expert noted that the industry has previously explored alternative technologies to address such issues, such as utilizing network connections. However, such solutions were found to be unsuitable because of the potential for network traffic congestion.
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He suggested having more flexible performance schedules and explaining to the public that astronomical phenomena may affect shows unexpectedly. He said that on the Chinese mainland, some event organizers will list key ionosphere-related data in advance of performances to let visitors know whether conditions will be suitable.
He said that playing pre-recorded rehearsal clips for TV and online viewers is also effective, as the organizer did on Tuesday night, when unexpected disruptions occur.
Shenzhen scaled down its drone show scheduled for Wednesday night, citing ionospheric disturbances and gusts that could pose a danger to drones and to the audience.
Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com
