To ring in the new year, the city of Shanghai set off 2,000 drones to form a spectacular light show in the night sky… or did it?
The impressive display quickly captured the attention of global media and made its rounds on YouTube, but newly surfaced reports claim the entire show was pre-recorded. In actuality, there wasn’t a drone in sight on New Year’s Eve.
Information in the YouTube video’s caption below via CCTV reads: “Nearly 2,000 drones took the Tuesday night sky and illuminated the Huangpu River in east China’s Shanghai Municipality to welcome the new year.” 
However, one particular video posted on December 29th showed the exact same drone display. How could this be?
The company behind the display, Yihang Bailu, officially confirmed to the BBC that the footage broadcast around the world was actually from a practice run that took place on December 28th, days before the New Year. This was perhaps a move to prevent overcrowding, but fake news nonetheless.
Authorities reportedly posted that “no New Year Eve celebration activity” would happen in Shanghai on NYE.
We’ve heard of DJs pre-recording sets, but this is some next level trickery.
Either way, fireworks are so 2019…
Shanghai Welcomes 2020 with 2,000 Drones
Source: BBC
