Drones are some of the coolest things to ever be invented on earth. Excluding their roles in extra-judicial and deadly airstrikes, the world is a safer place because of the existence of these mini flying devices. You can survey thousands of miles of ground without actually going anywhere, disaster relief is faster, filmmaking is better, meteorology and geology are thriving due to easier aerial observation, and of course, drones are just cool devices to own for recreational use.
Of course, the Chinese found a way to celebrate their country’s remarkable advancements in the aviation industry using drones. At the 2019 Nanchang Flight Convention held in Eastern China, over 800 multi-colored drones flew in formation in a mind-blowing aeronautics display, forming ghostly shapes that appeared to be a propeller plane, an airliner, and a fighter jet. [1]
Attendants of the convention and thousands of people across the city of Nanchang were entertained by the beautiful choreography. The video was posted on Twitter by Xinhua Video on November 16.
The convention was the first of its magnitude ever held in the region to celebrate China’s extensive progress and development in the fields of aeronautics, air travel, and space travel. Over 100 aircraft from China and other countries were exhibited including fighter jets, modern helicopters, propeller planes, and even biplanes. All the aircraft were of either commercial and military specifications and it was a truly remarkable event.
Stunning! 800 drones fly in the shape of a giant airplane in Nanchang, China pic.twitter.com/0gjsFZYw5z
— China Xinhua Sci-Tech (@XHscitech) November 16, 2019
In commemoration of decades of excellence
According to Yin Meigen, a member of the Standing Committee of Jiangxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of Nanchang Municipal Party Committee, the drone display at the opening ceremony of the convention is the first-ever aviation exhibition of its kind held in the entire Jiangxi Province.
Meigen explains that the major aim of hosting the massive convention was to bring Jiangxi’s aviation achievements into the global limelight. Chinese aviation has come a long way since the early 19th century and they hope to boost national and international investments into the development of the industry.
According to Meigen, Jiangxi’s “Aviation Dream is of immense significance”.
As of April 2020, China has remained the world’s largest aviation market by seats as the US took a backlash from the COVID-19 pandemic. [2] China’s bounce-back from the crisis came with a surge in aviation, as in many other industries, and the country has continued to record an impressive upward trend.
China builds an average of eight new airports every year. They certainly need as many as possible, considering the extreme population of the country and the extensive inward surge of tourists and visitors from all over the world and at every time of the year. At the start of the pandemic, the Chinese civil aviation market dropped by around 80%, according to IATA reports. [3] Over 500,000 international and local flights within and out of the country were canceled to contain the spread of the virus. The aviation industry took a disastrous hit that threatened many decades of progress.
However, by March this year, things started looking up and seven months down the line, China has gone on to top the world’s aviation charts again, keeping the U.S. in second place.
Ma Tao, the IATA’s Regional Vice President for North Asia said after the nearly fatal blow to the industry: “The last two months have been very challenging for China and the airline industry in particular. The good news is that the government recognizes the importance of having a strong aviation industry, including air cargo. We welcome and appreciate the relief measures implemented by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to support the Chinese and foreign airlines. While the outbreak in China has come under control, the risk now is imported cases, and the government is taking firm action.”
References
- “At an Air Show in China, Drones, Not Jets, Are the Stars.” The New York Times. Lam Yik Fei and Raymond Zhong. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- “China becomes the largest aviation market in the world“. CAPA. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
- “China’s domestic aviation industry showing upward trend.” IATA. Retrieved October 27, 2020.