In brief
In a powerful tribute, 2,977 drones formed an aerial likeness of the Twin Towers over New York Harbor. Each drone’s light was dedicated to one of the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks. Collaborated by artists, producers and members of the 9/11 community, the display streamed worldwide and resonated as an innovative memorial. The event highlighted how modern technology can honour history and community memory.
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.
