The Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi broke four Guinness World Records while ushering in the New Year. Three of the records were shattered during more than 40-minute-long amazing fireworks and one through jaw-dropping drone show in Al Wathba.

It was a spectacle to behold with as many as 3,000 drones up in the skies creating an extraordinary visual experience leading to 2023 countdown and simultaneously at the other end, the much-anticipated fireworks went off at midnight.

The spectacular drones swarming together made several giant messages and shapes in various hues like ‘Hayakum’, ‘World’s Coolest Winter’, ‘Hello Future’, ‘2022-2071’, Rashid rover etc. It was the formation of the largest drone QR code formation that broke an existing world record.

Three records were broken with more than 40 minutes long fireworks in terms of quantity, formation and duration.

Alwaleed Osman, official adjudicator, Guinness World Records, said that it was a hectic process to ensure all guidelines and specifications were followed in breaking all the four records.

“I was at the drone site. I had to check all the drones were launched properly. Then rush back to see if the QR code made by the drones was readable through a camera phone,” Osman told Khaleej Times.

As the fireworks started, he made a dash to the fireworks control centre to follow the proceedings, and later reviewed the video footage in slow motion to ascertain all three records were broken. The records were broken for most pinwheels launched in 30 seconds, most repeated firework image formations in 30 seconds and most girandola launched in 30 seconds.

The scintillating fireworks, drone and laser show mesmerised the capacity crowd, majority of whom stayed on at the festival site for a few more hours. The cultural and entertainment festival will run until March 18 in Al Wathba. Entry fee is just Dh5.

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