Archive · 11 Sep 2026
2,977 Drones Recreate Twin Towers in New York Tribute
New York held a nighttime tribute using thousands of glowing drones.
The show took place over New York Harbor on September 9, 2026.
There were 2,977 drones, matching the number of people killed in the September 11 attacks.
Each drone stood for one person and one life story.
The drones first moved upward in a helix shape.
Then they arranged themselves to look like the Twin Towers.
The towers appeared at the same scale as the original buildings.
The display was created with help from victims’ families, survivors, and first responders.
It appeared near the annual Tribute in Light before the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
On September 9, 2026, 2,977 illuminated drones formed the Twin Towers over New York Harbor.
Each drone represented one person killed in the September 11 attacks.
The drones first formed a rising helix before creating the towers at their original architectural scale.
The installation, titled “2,977 Lights Over New York Harbor,” was held two nights before the attacks’ 25th anniversary.
Victims’ families, survivors, first responders, artists, and producers helped shape the tribute.
- Who
- New York organizers, artists, producers, victims’ families, survivors, and first responders created a tribute to the 2,977 people killed in the September 11 attacks.
- What
- A drone installation used 2,977 illuminated drones to recreate the Twin Towers.
- When
- September 9, 2026, two nights before the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
- Where
- Over New York Harbor in New York.
- Why
- To honor and remember the individuals killed in the September 11 attacks.
- Event name
- “2,977 Lights Over New York Harbor”
- Date
- September 9, 2026
- Number of drones
- 2,977 illuminated drones
- Meaning of the lights
- Each drone represented one person killed in the September 11 attacks.
- Recreated subject
- The Twin Towers at their original architectural scale
- Location
- New York Harbor
- Related memorial
- The display appeared alongside New York’s annual Tribute in Light.
