Drones to light up the sky with powerful anti-cancer message over the Hudson

Drones will light up the skies above the Hudson on Tuesday, July 16 as part of a tribute to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) in support of vital cancer research.

Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks kicked off with a drone show over the Hudson River. Photo: Catie Savage

The exhibit is expected to provide a dazzling finale to a public viewing of the MLB All-Star Game at Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and is inspired by the annual Placard Moment that takes place during the game, when the entire stadium can take a moment to stand and hold a placard to honor someone in their life touched by cancer.

This year, two other drone demonstrations have already taken place on the Hudson. The first took place in April to celebrate the transformation of the American conglomerate General Electric (GE) into three publicly traded companies. On July 4, Macy’s kicked off its annual Fourth of July fireworks show with a drone display featuring the American flag, stars and a countdown to the launch of the first fireworks.

GE Hudson Drones — GE’s drone show lit up the sky over the Hudson River on April 1, announcing the conglomerate’s transformation into three separate companies. Photo: Catie Savage

Both events on Tuesday are sponsored by Mastercard, which has donated more than $70 million to SU2C since 2010. From July 12 to 16, the Stand Up To Cancer campaign will be featured in two windows at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. To participate, head to the second-floor photo booth where you can create a Stand Up To Cancer sign that will be displayed in the window and can be shared on social media.

To further spread the word, SU2C stickers will be available at the Hudson Yards concierge and at participating restaurants, retailers, online stores and small businesses across New York City.

“Everyone thinks of someone when they think of cancer, which is why we’re leveraging the power of the collective to make an impact well beyond the stadium,” said Rustom Dastoor, executive vice president of marketing and communications, Americas, Mastercard. “Our partnership with Stand Up To Cancer gives cardholders the opportunity to make a meaningful difference and spread the word to support research in an accessible and shareable way.”