A swarm of mini drones makes ... magic!

Leading a swarm of small, buzzing flying machines, techno-magician Marco Tempest orchestrates a "cyber illusion" that will have you asking yourself: Was that science or magic?

So, I have a background
in technology and magic.

And magicians are interesting.

Their illusions accomplish
what technology cannot.

But what happens when
the technology of the day

seems almost magical?

What happens when you can do this?

(Music)

Now, 100 years ago,

that would have been
the magic of levitation.

Is it possible to create illusions

in a world where technology
makes anything possible?

Jump!

Now, if you know how the trick is done,

where is the illusion?

But still, our imagination
is more powerful than our reasoning,

and it's easy to attribute
personality to machines.

These are quadcopters.

But they are more than
mechanical flying machines.

They analyze the environment around them

and react to everything I do.

At once, algorithms allow these autonomous
machines to fly in close formation,

aware of each other

and aware of me --

mathematics that can
be mistaken for intelligence,

and intelligence for personality.

Anthropomorphism: that's the illusion,

an illusion created by technology

and embroidered by our imagination

to become an intelligent flying robot,

a machine that appears to be alive.

(Music plays
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind")

(Quadcopters make tones)

I think they say, "Hello."

Hey guys! Come on.

And time to land.

And that's it.

Thank you.

(Applause)

OK, guys, time to go home.

Everybody in here.

Come on, everybody, quickly, quickly.

No pushing, everybody can fit.

There you go, a little bit to the left,
a little bit to the right.

Come on, everybody, everybody,

and ... good job!

(Cheers)

Thank you.

(Applause)

Thank you.

(Applause)