It was only last week that Intel set a new world record releasing 500 drones in the sky during Lady Gaga's Super Bowl half time show.

Now China has bested the Americans by launching a 1,000-strong display of drones.

The glittering drones 'performed' at the annual Lantern Festival in Guangzhou, in southern China.

The hypnotising show saw the drones glide into several different displays, spelling out '1,000' and forming a rotating emoticon.\

It will likely have snatched the Guinness World Record for the most UAVs airborne simultaneously, but has yet to be confirmed by the organisation.

Like Intel's display, the drones, which were fitted with different coloured LED lights and were controlled by a single computer, with routes pre-programmed.