THE UNITED Arab Emirates compete each year with ferocious displays of New Years Eve fireworks and elaborate pyrotechnics.
Gulf states including Dubai and Abu Dhabi hold hour-long performances that cost millions – with more eye-popping laser shows and drone displays planned for tonight’s celebration.
The signature fireworks show in Dubai last year saw enormous sparks launched horizontally into the sky from the 830-metre Burj Khalifa.
Meanwhile a giant turtle climbed the side of the tower, the world’s biggest building.
Footage from the country’s sandy beaches and impressive marine life was splashed across the enormous building.
Spiralling fireworks were even shot out from the tip of the skyscraper and enormous strobe lights cast from the side of the building.
Meanwhile in Abu Dhabi what looked like miles of fireworks were fired into the sky from above a huge span of water, reflecting the pyrotechnics.
The oil-rich capital of the UAE wheeled out thousands of tons of fireworks alongside an astounding 5,000-strong drone display.
This year in Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba is set to feature 53 minutes of nonstop fireworks.
Light and laser tech will be wheeled out to break six new Guinness Records and a 20-minute show featuring 6,000 drones will light up the sky.
Rulers of the two countries, the Al Maktoums and Al Nayhans, go head to head every 12 month in their attempts to outdo the other’s outrageous displays.
Property developer Emaar, which organises the Dubai show, wouldn’t disclose how much they cost to The Telegraph.
But fireworks experts suggested they could amount to as much as £10million – more than double the amount spent by London.
Four years behind, London’s budget also has to cover policing and general event costs.
As 2024 was rung in Ras al Khaimah – another UAE state – set Guinness World Records with its display.
It bagged one for the longest chain of floating fireworks – stretching theirs to almost 6km.
Incredibly they also managed to get the longest straight line of pyrotechnic drone displays at 2km.
Guy Westgate, a pilot whose event company AeroSparx, works in UAE fireworks shows, said: “There is intense competition in the UAE, and that drives a lot of creativity.
“They have the time to work through complex risk assessments and authorise some pretty niche displays.”
And Patrick Cyrana, owner of New Jersey-based company Advanced Pyrotechnics, said: “Fireworks being launched from drones is something that we started seeing about four years ago.
“We’ve also seen fireworks launched horizontally from buildings or using long-range firing systems along the entire coastline.”
According to Time Out, Abu Dhabi is planning to have the “world’s largest firework display” tonight, as people across the globe ring in 2025.
