2,977 Drones Light Up New York Harbour To Recreate Twin Towers Ahead Of 9/11 Anniversary

New York Harbour was illuminated by thousands of lights on Wednesday night as a powerful drone display paid tribute to the 2,977 people killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Titled "2,977 Lights Over New York Harbour", the public art installation featured 2,977 illuminated drones, with each light representing one of the victims, BBC reported. The drones rose above the water before gradually coming together to recreate the outline of the Twin Towers at full architectural scale.

Videos shared on social media showed the lights moving across the night sky before forming the familiar shape of the World Trade Center towers, creating a striking tribute ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

"The purpose of '2,977 Lights' is to acknowledge individual loss within the collective history and memory of Sept. 11. We light the exact number to hold witness for each individual life," said Addison Mehr, creative director and executive producer of the project. 

Watch the video here:

Over New York Harbor, 2,977 drones formed light silhouettes of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. Each drone symbolized one of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The Sky Elements show took place two days before the 25th anniversary of the tragedy: the drone… pic.twitter.com/DGpLqkydo3

— Drone Wars (@Drone_Wars_) September 10, 2026

The commemorative installation was developed with input from members of the 9/11 community, including victims' families, survivors and first responders. Organisers said the free public artwork was designed around themes of remembrance, reflection and unity.

The project brought together several people with personal connections to the tragedy. Among them were Brenda Berkman, an FDNY first responder and artist, Tim Brown, who served as an FDNY first responder in 1993 and 2001, Terry Strada, president of 9/11 Families United and widow of Tom Strada, Jim Smith, whose wife, NYPD Officer Moira Smith, was killed on September 11 and Genevieve Siller, daughter of Stephen Siller.

"I helped design 2,977 Lights to honor the innocent and our 343 FDNY heroes. I did it for my brothers Chris Blackwell of Rescue 3, Terry Hatton of Rescue 1, and Michael Lynch of Ladder 4. Three of the 2,977 lights are theirs," said Tim Brown, FDNY Responder 1993 and 2001. 

Friday, September 11, marks 25 years since the attacks that targeted New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and resulted in the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.