Drone display recreates the Twin Towers over New York City

A striking new memorial, comprised of 2,977 drones, flew over the New York Harbor to reverently echo the silhouette of the Twin Towers. Each of the drones’ lights represented one of the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks.

The project, titled "2,977 Lights Over New York Harbor", was born from a collaboration between a team of artists and organisers, producers, and the 9/11 community—including families of the victims, returning survivors, and first‑responder veterans, who helped plan and refine the choreography.

Built over the span of several months, the drones were blanked into position against the city’s skyline and illuminated in a coordinated sequence that sometimes mimicked the patterns of the original towers’ printed advertisements or simply formed crisp points that spoke to the scale and tragedy of that day.

The event was livestreamed to thousands of viewers worldwide and was hailed as an innovative way to keep the memory of 9/11 alive—an aerial tribute that blends technology with remembrance.