This Amsterdam company brought the Twin Towers back to Manhattan's skyline with drones

The Amsterdam-based art collective Studio Drift successfully lit up the New York City skyline by recreating the silhouette of the Twin Towers using 2,977 drones. This ambitious project, designed by studio founder Ralph Nauta, serves as a poignant memorial, with the number of drones matching the number of victims lost during the 9/11 attacks twenty-five years ago. The display stood 500 meters high, positioned exactly where the original towers once stood.

Developing the project took two years, the vast majority of which was spent navigating New York's complex regulatory environment and securing necessary flight permits. While the technical design was relatively straightforward for the studio, which has previously reconstructed landmarks like the Colosseum and Sagrada Família, obtaining permission to fly at such a significant height was a major challenge. Despite the project's success, Nauta was unable to attend the event in person due to visa issues, viewing the finished result through social media and his extensive experience with drone technology.