Aerial display system with floating pixels

A method of providing an aerial display, comprising:

• with a multicopter, supporting a lighting assembly above a viewing area;
• concurrent with the supporting of the lighting assembly, supporting, with the multicopter, a light diffuser with a light-receiving surface;
• determining a location of the multicopter in an air space used to provide the aerial display;
• identifying a pixel of the aerial display associated with the determined location;
• and
• illuminating the light-receiving surface with output light from the lighting assembly by operating the lighting assembly in an operating state selected based on the identified pixel of the aerial display.

An apparatus for use in providing an aerial display in a predefined airspace, comprising:

• a multicopter;
• a lighting assembly supported by the multicopter;
• and
• a light diffuser supported by the multicopter and positioned with a surface receiving output light from the lighting assembly,
• wherein the multicopter includes a local controller operating to move the multicopter along a flight plan associated with a plurality of pixels of the aerial display at differing locations in the predefined airspace,
• wherein the light assembly operates in at least a first state and a second state differing from the first state at differing way points of the flight plan, and
• wherein the first and second operating states are chosen from a plurality of states based on a present location of the multicopter associated with at least two of the plurality of pixels and at least two of the differing way points of the flight plan, whereby the aerial display is animated.