On the Eurovision Music Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, the dazzling visuals weren’t simply coming from the contestants. They had been additionally powered by 104 flying lights, created by way of an revolutionary payload for drones referred to as the Mini Beam.
The Mini Beam payload is designed to mount on Lucie micro drones from Verity Studios — and so they made their debut as an official technical provider to the world’s most-watched dwell music occasion.
Mini Beams are rather more than only a gentle present drone. Whereas gentle present drones create a speck of sunshine within the sky that — when positioned in tandem with different drones creates a definite formation — these lights are completely different. These Mini Beams from Verity are transferring spotlights. For lighting designers, a transferring beam gentle mounted to the drones unlocks a totally new design vocabulary.
In any case, lighting designers now have much more artistic freedom in how they’re positioned relative to the particular person or different object they’re attempting to shine a lightweight on provided that the drone can fly virtually wherever.
Two acts, one daring showcase
Greater than only a return to their homeland stage, Eurovision served as the primary dwell deployment of Verity’s new Mini Beam payload
The Lucie drones had been featured in two standout performances: the second interval act of Semi-Last 1, which paid homage to Céline Dion’s 1988 profitable tune Ne partez pas sans moi, and the Grand Last’s opening act, the place Nemo carried out final yr’s profitable quantity.
“The drones had been used as particular results throughout each the opening and interval acts,” stated Steve Maassen, Technical and Artistic Lead at Verity, in an unique interview with The Drone Lady. “Throughout the 2 performances, a complete of 104 Lucie Micro drones had been used.”
Oh, and by the way in which, Verity has an extended historical past with Céline Dion. Again in 2019, they had been the group behind the drone present on her world tour. Her encore efficiency, the tune “My Coronary heart Will Go On,” was carried out to a background of floating drones.
Eurovision’s fast-paced, high-stakes surroundings made integration a technical feat.
“To have the ability to carry out at Eurovision, dwell on such an necessary stage, you want to have a particularly dependable system,” Maassen stated. “Integrating our components into Eurovision’s fast-changing, complicated stage setup whereas delivering the clear visuals required cautious planning to combine drone deployment and restoration seamlessly, with out disrupting the movement of the present.”
Regardless of the complexity, he stated the drones carried out flawlessly — and autonomously. As soon as deployed by hand, the Lucie drones accepted a timecoded present management set off (very similar to any kind of drone present), flying in sync all through the efficiency.
“A single set off is sufficient to maintain the drones in good sync for all the flight, permitting for frame-accurate lighting cues,” Maassen stated. “Every drone follows a pre-programmed path and returns to its touchdown space on the finish of the choreography, the place it may be striked.”
What else to know in regards to the Mini Beam
Every Mini Beam drone weighs 63 grams (2.2 ounces) and might fly for as much as 4 minutes. See them in motion right here:
“The Mini Beam allows a totally untethered beam gentle impact that may transfer freely in 3D area,” Maassen stated. “Designers can place beams near performers, circle them, or create interactions that aren’t doable with conventional rig, even when there’s heavy automation concerned. In comparison with our commonplace level gentle impact, the Mini Beam gives a totally completely different visible language.”
Lighting designers have responded with enthusiasm.
“They’re enthusiastic about taking the classical beam gentle look to the following stage by combining it with untethered flight,” Maassen stated. “They’re additionally excited to make use of the Mini Beams along with the purpose lights, which permits them to have a much bigger palette of results.”
Eurovision kicks off a brand new period for Verity
For Verity, a Swiss firm identified for its autonomous drone reveals on world excursions and even some cruise ships (sure, Verity has everlasting installations aboard Royal Caribbean and Carnival Company cruise ships), the partnership is one more maintain step for progress.
“Being chosen as a technical provider for Eurovision is a transparent validation of the precision and reliability our Lucie drones convey to dwell environments,” stated Raffaello D’Andrea, Verity’s CEO and co-founder.
Verity has additionally placed on masterful state reveals, together with a drone routine that for a time performed out each evening on stage for the Broadway Cirque du Soleil present referred to as “Paramour.” The corporate additionally powered the drones utilized in rapper Drake’s 2018 Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour.
And though the Mini Beam has simply launched, Verity is already fielding curiosity.
“It’s solely been a couple of days, however we’ve already seen an uptick in inquiries,” Maassen stated.
With its Eurovision debut behind it and business consideration quickly rising, Verity’s Lucie drones — now with Mini Beam in tow — are poised to take flight in additional venues the place creativeness meets automation.
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