# Flying for our Freedom, Rotterdam drone show – Drone Stories

> On Liberation Day, 300 drones flew Franchise Freedom above the Maas in Rotterdam: a heart for healthcare workers, broadcast live during the lockdown.

Source: https://dronestories.com/drone-shows/rotterdam-liberation-day/

A heart for healthcare workers

# Flying for our Freedom, Rotterdam

On Liberation Day, 5 May 2020, 300 drones flew above the Maas in Rotterdam as a tribute to freedom and to everyone working in healthcare. Because of COVID-19 there was no audience on site. The country watched live on TV and online.

| | |
|---|---|
| Client | DRIFT and Mothership |
| Location | Above the Nieuwe Maas, Rotterdam |
| Drones | 300 |
| Type | television broadcast |

More [drone shows in Rotterdam](/drone-shows/in/rotterdam/)

## A heart above the river

Studio DRIFT and art organisation Mothership started the project. Franchise Freedom flew next to the Erasmus Bridge and formed a beating heart for healthcare workers. Pianist Joep Beving played live from Erasmus MC, the national coordination point for intensive care in the Netherlands.

## No crowd, a whole country watching

The show was not announced in advance, so people would stay home. It was broadcast live on TV and online. Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb: “An enlightened heart above our historical heart; it is truly heart-warming!”

## Made together

Partners included Mothership, Nomobo, Mojo, the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Municipality of Rotterdam, Rotterdam Partners, Erasmus MC and Xinix Films.

Franchise Freedom, a work by DRIFT, created by the artists Lonneke Gordijn, Ralph Nauta and Lucas van Oostrum. Read more about [Franchise Freedom](/drone-shows/franchise-freedom/).

Photos: Ossip van Duivenbode, Stefan Heijdendael.

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