Studio Drift’s drone art to fly over Kennedy Space Center today for Apollo 11 launch anniversary

Studio Drift has been invited by the Aldrin Family Foundation to create a one-off version of its performative drone piece Franchise Freedom for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch today (16 July). The piece comprises 300 luminous Intel Shooting Star drones which fly together, akin to a flock of starlings.

The original piece premiered at Art Basel in Miami Beach in 2017, and has been shown in the studio’s home city of Amsterdam as well as Burning Man Festival. This iteration will be custom-made for the Apollo 11 launch commemoration, to be shown over Nasa’s Rocket Garden at Kennedy Space Center, and accompanied by a performance by Duran Duran.

The Dutch studio says the piece marks a tribute to iconic shifts in technology, back then and now, that positively impact the evolution of humankind. “The moon landing made us think about our lives here on earth more than life on the moon,” says co-founder Lonneke Gordijn. “That’s what our work Franchise Freedom is about, human behaviour on earth.”

“The Apollo 11 moon landing exemplifies how technology can have a positive effect on humanity,” co-founder Ralph Nauta continues. “Let’s take this as an example of what amazing possibilities we have if we put our minds together. It is our responsibility to use technology to build a sustainable future.”

A film of the performance will be shared tomorrow (17 July) so check back here to see the drones in action. The show was produced by Drone Stories.