ACKNOWLEDGMENT
As custodians of the land, Anangu hold the Mala story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru. To share their story, RAMUS designed and produced an artistic platform using drones, light and sound to create an immersive storytelling experience.
BACKGROUND
The Wintijri Wiru Drone and Light Show is a groundbreaking initiative, 3 years in the making, aimed at combining advanced technology with ancient storytelling to deliver a truly immersive cultural experience. The project, located in the heart of Australia at Uluru, seeks to bring the rich Aboriginal cultural heritage of the area to life through a stunning visual experience. Central to this vision is the Wintijri Wiru Drone and Light Show, a large-scale spectacle involving the use of drones and sophisticated lighting systems to tell ancient stories.
To achieve this ambitious goal, RAMUS engaged B&R to design and engineer over 200 specialised enclosures.
PROJECT SCOPE
B&R played a key role in this project, providing technological and logistical innovation throughout its execution. The primary task involved designing and building 216 purpose-built enclosures, each housing six lightweight drones. These drones were specifically designed to operate seamlessly in harmony with the unique environment of Uluru, navigating the challenging terrain and atmospheric conditions of the region. The goal was to enhance the storytelling experience with immersive technology, while respecting the deep cultural significance of Uluru and its surrounding areas.
Each enclosure was carefully designed and engineered to withstand the harsh environmental conditions of the desert, including extreme temperatures, sand and humidity. These were not standard enclosures but meticulously engineered structures designed to protect the drones during their operation in the drone and light shows, ensuring both performance and durability in the demanding conditions of Uluru.
Ensuring that the operating temperatures of sensitive batteries and electronics were not compromised was a key focus, guaranteeing longevity and optimal performance for the demanding 3+ shows each day. Given the extreme desert conditions, the enclosures were designed with advanced cooling technology to prevent the drones from overheating. To ensure continuous operation throughout the performance, B&R also integrated specialised charging stations into each enclosure, minimising the need for frequent intervention.
B&R worked closely with RAMUS, experts in large-scale immersive experience installations, to collaborate on the design of the enclosures. Together, they ensured compatibility with the custom-built drone platform and addressed the technical and safety requirements essential for the drones to function smoothly within the enclosures.
The remote location of Uluru presented significant logistical challenges, particularly in transportation. With tight time constraints to meet delivery and operational schedules, we successfully overcame these hurdles to transport the enclosures over long distances. Ensuring a steady supply while adhering to precise timelines was critical to the project’s successful and timely execution.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
One of the most significant aspects of this project was its positive impact on the local community. Tourism to the area offers numerous job opportunities to local workers, providing a direct economic benefit to the region. The involvement of local people in various stages of the project, from assembly to maintenance, also helps to foster an ongoing sense of ownership and pride in the initiative.
Furthermore, the project opened up opportunities for skills development in cutting-edge technologies, particularly in drone systems, aerospace and engineering. This contributed not only to the success of the project but also laid the foundation for future technological advancement within the community.
TESTING NEW CAPABILITIES
The Uluru drone and light show project also presented an important opportunity for B&R to test its capabilities. The unique requirements of this project pushed the limits of what we could deliver in terms of design, logistics and engineering. The success of the project provided us with valuable insights into handling large-scale technological deployments in challenging environments.
This experience enabled us to develop and refine new solutions that could be applied to future projects, whether in remote locations or more urban settings. The project demonstrated how technology, when thoughtfully integrated into cultural experiences, can create extraordinary immersive environments that are both technologically advanced and culturally enriching.
CONCLUSION
The Wintijri Wiru Drone and Light Show at Uluru was more than just a technological spectacle, it is a celebration of the blending of ancient traditions with modern innovation. B&R’s role in delivering this project was pivotal, not only in ensuring the success of the immersive drone and light show but also in contributing to the community and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved through technology. Through this collaboration with RAMUS and the local community, B&R helped bring an ancient story to life in a modern way, setting a new benchmark for cultural and technological fusion in public art projects.
Drone show images courtesy of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia