New Frontier: Riau Islands
February 2025, iDRONE crossed the Singapore Strait to execute our first show in the Riau Islands. Brave Bintan is an outdoor festival with a theme of adventure and courage — exactly the traits needed to bring drone shows to areas that have never seen them before.
The logistics are not simple. Our equipment — 150 drones along with ground stations, antennas and battery charging systems — had to be sent via ship. Our advance team arrived two days early for site survey, local permit processing, and acclimatization to the sea breeze conditions in the Riau Islands which are different from conditions in Java.
Unforgettable Reactions
Most Brave Bintan viewers have never seen a live drone show. When 150 drones formed the first formation — the silhouette of a sailboat as a symbol of adventure — the reaction was different from previous shows we executed in big cities.
There is something very authentic in the reactions of people seeing a drone show for the first time. There were no expectations, no 'oh yeah this is the usual thing at Jakarta events' — just pure admiration. It's moments like that that remind us why this work matters.
Next Mission: Expand the Map
After Bintan, iDRONE is even more convinced: drone shows are not just for Jakarta, Bali and big cities. Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua — every Indonesian destination with ambitious outdoor events has potential. Indonesia has 17,000+ islands. We haven't even scratched the surface.
If you are holding an event outside Java-Bali and want to bring a drone show, we are open to discussing logistics and scope. Transportation challenges actually make the show more memorable — for us and for the audience.
