Kenya and China took to the skies last week, with a drone light show featuring 500 drones that lit up the Nairobi night in celebration of years of cooperation between the two nations.
Launched over Nyayo National Stadium in the east African country’s capital, the Emo Plus drones were brought in straight from China specifically for the purpose by manufacturer Shenzhen HighGreat Innovation Technology Development Company, which then worked with the Chinese embassy in Kenya alongside the youth, creative arts and sports ministry to make the show the success it was.
According to the organisers, the show was the first ever in the country to involve a swarm of 500 drones.
The light show featured depictions that celebrated East African integration, sport, wildlife, infrastructure, China-Kenya (and East Africa) trade and friendship. These included the official logo of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, a handshake symbolising friendship, cooperation and closer ties between China and Africa, the Kenyan flag, the East African Community flag and an ancient Chinese Terracotta Warrior appearing to kick a football.
As night fell, hundreds of drones rose into the sky, forming more than a dozen three-dimensional images. The first formation was the logo of the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, symbolizing China-Africa friendship and shared aspirations.
Hao Zhongwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said public welfare projects offered a direct way of turning people-to-people diplomacy into benefits for communities.
“Welfare projects are an important carrier of people-to-people exchanges,” Hao told local media, noting that China-Africa cooperation had already produced numerous livelihood-oriented projects across the continent.
Gender Principal Secretary Anne Wang'ombe was also in attendance and said the relationship between her country and China was evolving beyond conventional economic cooperation towards people-centred partnerships.
The show also highlighted flagship infrastructure projects built through China-Kenya cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, including Talanta Stadium, the main venue for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway and the Nairobi Expressway.
Co-hosted by China's Shaanxi Radio and Television Media Convergence Group and Kenya's State Department for Sports, the event was supported by the Chinese Embassy in Kenya and Kenya's Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports.
Earlier that Wednesday, more than 130 representatives from government, civil society, international organisations, businesses and the media had met in Nairobi for the Second China-Africa Civil Society Public Welfare Exchange Forum.
According to the manufacturer, the HighGreat Emo Plus is a specialised, professional-grade quadcopter purpose-built for high-density outdoor light shows.
Weighing 340 grams including the carbon fibre framework, the drone is built with a fully enclosed physical protective cover blending aerospace-grade POM material and carbon fibre.
It also boasts of an IP54 rating for waterproof and dustproof resilience, which allows it to operate safely in light rain. Powered by an intelligent 4S battery supplying up to 30 minutes of continuous flight, the drone has the capacity for tight formations with a narrow minimum flight distance of just 1.44metres between drones.
Its lighting system comprises high-power LED beads rendering 16million colours with an integrated thermal dissipation system to prevent dimming in high ambient temperatures.
It also has the payload capacity for mechanical extension support for cold fireworks and strobe lights.