MTQN XXX
Drone Show
— Samarinda
On the evening of 15 September 2024, the night sky above Samarinda Stadium in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, was illuminated by a spectacular light show featuring 500 drones. This dazzling performance was a highlight of the MTQN XXX 2024 event (Indonesia's 30th National Quran Recitation Championship), blending innovative technology and artistic precision to create a stunning visual experience above one of the country's most significant Islamic cultural gatherings.
Mission Objective
The Brief
Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran Nasional (MTQN) is Indonesia's National Quran Recitation Competition, one of the most significant Islamic cultural events in the country. The 30th edition, MTQN XXX, was held in Samarinda, East Kalimantan in September 2024. MIRS Drone Show was commissioned to deliver an aerial performance that honoured the cultural and spiritual significance of the event while creating a spectacular visual moment above the stadium for the thousands of participants, officials, and spectators in attendance.
The mission: produce a 500-drone aerial show above Samarinda Stadium that combined national identity, regional pride, and Islamic cultural symbolism in a synchronized aerial canvas, delivering innovation, artistry, and precision in a single performance that would be remembered as a highlight of the MTQN XXX championship.
MTQN XXX — The Cultural Stage
MTQN XXX brought together Quran recitation competitors from every province across Indonesia, a national competition that carries deep religious, cultural, and governmental significance. Held in Samarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan province, the 2024 edition was one of the most prominent public events in Kalimantan's recent history, with the drone show serving as the ceremonial aerial centrepiece of the championship's celebrations.
Mission Assets
Creative Performance Design
National Identity, Cultural Pride
The creative direction for the MTQN XXX show was built around three interlocking layers of meaning: Indonesian national identity, East Kalimantan regional pride, and the Islamic cultural significance of the Quran recitation championship itself. Every formation in the aerial sequence drew from one of these layers, creating a show that was not just visually spectacular, but culturally resonant for every person in the stadium and watching from across the province.
The sequence opened with sweeping grid formations above the stadium before moving through the signature cultural set pieces: the Garuda eagle soaring overhead, the shape of Kalimantan drawn in drone light above its own land, and the minaret tower rising against the night sky as a tribute to the Islamic tradition the championship celebrates.
- Garuda eagle formation Indonesia's national emblem — the Garuda Pancasila — formed by 500 drones above Samarinda Stadium, wings spread wide against the East Kalimantan night sky, as a declaration of national identity above the championship crowd
- Kalimantan island map The outline of Borneo island — Kalimantan — drawn in drone light above Samarinda Stadium, anchoring the performance in the geography of the host province and honouring East Kalimantan's role as the home of the 30th national championship
- Minaret tower formation A soaring minaret formation rising in drone light above the stadium — a direct tribute to the Islamic cultural tradition at the heart of MTQN, the National Quran Recitation Competition, and a symbolic centrepiece of the show's cultural narrative
- Night aerial stadium illumination The full show sequence in flight above Samarinda Stadium — 500 drones forming synchronized light patterns above the illuminated venue, visible to thousands of spectators inside the stadium and aerial audiences across the city
On-Site Execution
Field Deployment at Samarinda Stadium
The MTQN XXX deployment required full in-field setup at Samarinda Stadium: 500 drones staged on the field in a pre-flight grid formation, with the operations team conducting positioning, battery checks, and system tests across the stadium pitch in the hours before the evening performance. Aerial daytime surveys confirmed the optimal formation geometry for the stadium's dimensions and crowd sight lines.
Sunset to Night — Event Timing
The performance window moved from the golden hour of sunset through to full night, maximising the visual contrast of drone light formations against the darkening East Kalimantan sky. The show was synchronized to the MTQN XXX event schedule, with the aerial performance timed as a centrepiece highlight of the championship celebrations rather than a standalone act. Every formation transition was choreographed to music, building the cultural and visual narrative from national identity through to the Islamic cultural tribute that defined the show's finale above the stadium crowd.
500 drones. Garuda overhead. Samarinda Stadium, written in light for MTQN XXX.As Referenced In
The MTQN XXX closing ceremony drone show at GOR Kadrie Oening, Samarinda broke the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) for most simultaneous drone logo formations. Selected public coverage:
To explore more of our national event productions, visit our drone light show services, discover our work across drone shows in Indonesia, or read our guide on drone show brand ROI.
Frequently Asked
How many drones were used in the MTQN XXX drone show?
MIRS Drone Show deployed 500 drones above Samarinda Stadium for the MTQN XXX event on 15 September 2024: a synchronized aerial light show above Indonesia's 30th National Quran Recitation Championship in East Kalimantan.
What is MTQN XXX?
MTQN stands for Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran Nasional, Indonesia's National Quran Recitation Competition. The XXX (30th) edition was held in Samarinda, East Kalimantan in September 2024, bringing together competitors from across Indonesia in one of the country's most significant Islamic cultural and national events.
Where did the MTQN XXX drone show take place?
The drone show took place above Samarinda Stadium in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the evening of 15 September 2024, as part of the MTQN XXX national championship celebrations.
What formations were featured in the MTQN XXX drone light show?
The aerial sequence featured the Garuda eagle (Indonesia's national emblem), the Kalimantan island map drawn in drone light above Samarinda Stadium, a minaret tower formation honouring the Islamic cultural theme of MTQN, and synchronized night aerial formations above the illuminated stadium. See also the New Year's Eve Jakarta show.
What Clients Say
"MIRS delivered a 2,000-drone government celebration that the entire nation watched live. The aerial formations of our national symbols, animated with precision and pride, moved everyone in attendance. They navigated every regulation and logistical challenge professionally. A historic night for our people."
"Working with MIRS was seamless from the first briefing to the final flight. They understood the brief immediately, proposed creative formations we hadn't imagined, then delivered with military precision on the night. The entire country was watching and we were proud of every second."
"The 2,500-drone New Year's Eve show above our waterfront was the most talked-about moment our city has seen in years. Every formation was timed with incredible precision to the countdown music. The crowd reaction was unlike anything we had witnessed before. MIRS is already confirmed for next year."
"We needed a centrepiece moment for our annual summit our delegates would never forget. MIRS delivered exactly that: a 1,000-drone show that had 3,000 executives completely speechless. The precision and creativity exceeded everything we had seen before."
"Our campaign activation with 500 drones was a complete masterstroke. MIRS brought our brand story to life in a way no billboard ever could. The team handled every single detail: from 3D animation to on-site logistics, flawlessly. Customer response was overwhelming."