A surge in U.F.O. sightings is going to happen, thanks to the hi-tech 3D light shows in the sky brought to you by Spaxels.
What in the world are Spaxels? They are a swarm of drones equipped with LED's that can be programmed to dance in the air and even paint figures. They can be used for shows, futuristic advertisements, or other indoor or outdoor performances.
Ars Electronica Futurelab is the team behind Spaxels. They have been innovating ways to combine art, technology, and society for more than a decade. The Spaxels project is just one of their many visions to develop multimedia sensory experiences that go beyond traditional formats.
"Spaxels (a portmanteau word from space pixels) are LED-equipped quadcopters. They make up a drone swarm that can "draw" three-dimensional figures in midair. They create an extraordinary visual experience and open up an unprecedented new dimension of aesthetic expression," the team said of the project.
According to their website, Spaxels are already available to rent for events with swarms beginning at a minimum of 30 drones. A professional crew will be able to work with event managers from conception, to creative direction, and final output.
The team can work in a large indoor or outdoor space with the maximum number of Spaxels limited by the open space available and GPS reception for accuracy of the choreography.
As seen in a promotional video for Spaxels, the drones can be programmed to create stunning light shows in the sky, and even paint out logos, pictures, and letters.
One of the first public displays of the technology was the Star Trek Into the Darkness 2013 promotion in London. The Spaxels painted a 3D Star Trek insignia over the night skies near Tower Bridge to promote the new movie and was received with thunderous applause.
More recently Spaxels lit up the sky during the celebrations to commemorate the beginning of the term of the Emirate of Sharjah as the Islamic Capital of Culture last March 2014. The lights represented the words of Allah falling down from the heavens towards Mohammed as a cast on stage told the story of the prophet's life and the history of Islam.
