Autonomous System
Airstage’s autonomous flight platform brings a new level of control to our aerial shows. Behind every flying object we send into the air is a system built to handle tracking, navigation and show integration, allowing us to make complex technology feel effortless. Autonomy gives our creative teams the freedom to design movements that are perfectly timed, deeply immersive, and repeatable for up to several years, wherever in the world the show takes place.
How it works
At the core of the system is precise 3D tracking, which determines the exact position and orientation of every object in real time. That data feeds into our control software, calculating flight paths with millimeter accuracy, even in complex environments with multiple objects moving at once. For long-running installations that perform several times a day, for years, our systems run on redundant server structures. If one component fails, another takes over instantly, keeping the show running without interruption. Where things get especially exciting is in swarm behavior. Using AI, our flying objects coordinate with one another, avoid collisions, and form group movements that feel fluid and intentional, even when a large number of units are flying together.
Proven at Scale
This technology has already powered major international productions: from the Wizard of Oz show at Sphere in Las Vegas, to Planet 13’s autonomous orbs, to the flying fairies of Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular. These are real objects flying through real space, not projections or visual effects. Autonomous systems lower the amount of manual operation required while guaranteeing precision and repeatability that would be nearly impossible to fly by hand.
