The UAE is known for hosting spectacular firework displays on New Year’s Eve, and the one to welcome 2018 was no exception as another new record was set.
To celebrate the occasion, US-based Fireworks by Grucci teamed up with Al Marjan Island (UAE) to make their exhibition incomparable by setting off the Largest aerial firework shell.
Before an audience of over 100,000 in the city of Ras Al Khaimah who came to watch the night sky come to life - a new record was set when a fire cracker weighing 1,087.26 kg (2,397 lb) was set off, spanning an area of 1 km after exploding.
The accomplishment more than doubled the previous record of 464.826 kg (1,024.76 lbs) and put Ras Al Khaimah on the map when it comes to New Year’s Eve celebrations.
It took the massive firework 13.1 seconds to reach its apex with a distance of 1,127 m (3,697 ft) from the ground to the top of the flower effect.
In order for the title-holding explosive to launch successfully, it had to be fired from a 7 m long mortar made out of steel.
The shell packed 390 comet stars measuring 100 mm each and flowering into white, red and green to recreate the colours of the UAE national flag. The white glittering comets changed to brilliant red tips with the centre of the flower displaying in a green shimmer.
Preparations began in early 2017 with Phil Grucci, CEO and Creative Director of Fireworks by Grucci who previously held the for the Largest firework display to welcome 2014, taking more than 600 hours to design the show.
Another 70,000 man-hours went into building the fireworks with a team of programmers, producers, pyrotechnicians and documentarians working on the project.
Components for the aerial shell were hand-crafted exclusively by Grucci in their factories in New York and Virginia over a two-month period.
After record was confirmed, Phil Grucci said:
