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Illuminating the skies with hope through service-learning supported by drone technology

27 Feb 2026

From left: Students Patricia Shum Lam-wai and Alonso Meza Rodrigo; Mr Ryan Man, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies) and Director of the Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) programme at the School of Business; and Mr Samuel Lam, Founder of X Social Group and Part-time Lecturer at the Department of Management, Marketing and Information Systems at HKBU. From left: Students Patricia Shum Lam-wai and Alonso Meza Rodrigo; Mr Ryan Man, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies) and Director of the Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) programme at the School of Business; and Mr Samuel Lam, Founder of X Social Group and Part-time Lecturer at the Department of Management, Marketing and Information Systems at HKBU.
From left: Students Patricia Shum Lam-wai and Alonso Meza Rodrigo; Mr Ryan Man, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies) and Director of the Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) programme at the School of Business; and Mr Samuel Lam, Founder of X Social Group and Part-time Lecturer at the Department of Management, Marketing and Information Systems at HKBU.

 

On 9 January, a whimsical spectacle of lions, giraffes, dragons and robots made of lights and drones lit up the skies above Victoria Harbour. This stunning ARTOPIA Charity Drone Show was presented with the participation of around 50 HKBU students, as they collaborated with X Social Group, a leading company in drone performances in Hong Kong, to curate a drone performance based on the drawings of the children being taken care of by the NGO Ronald McDonald House Charities Hong Kong (RMHC).

Blending art tech, project management and humanitarian care, it was easy to say why students were eager to be a part of this meaningful project. Supported by HKBU’s Centre for Innovative Service-Learning, students from the Service-Learning and Community Engagement course were able to apply what they learned in class to create tangible and positive impact on the community. Seeing how they could uplift others was worth the time and energy invested in this artfully curated show.

 

The ARTOPIA Charity Drone Show features displays inspired by the artworks by children with chronic illnesses. The ARTOPIA Charity Drone Show features displays inspired by the artworks by children with chronic illnesses.
The ARTOPIA Charity Drone Show features displays inspired by the artworks by children with chronic illnesses.

 

Creating impact through transdisciplinary collaboration 

Preparation for ARTOPIA started last October, when HKBU students from different disciplines, including business administration, communications, and music, visited RMHC where they listened to the stories of the children with chronic illnesses and guided them in expressing their emotions through art. With the technical support of X Social Group, they also participated in co-creation sessions to explore innovative ways to blend creativity with technology. 

“ARTOPIA is about leveraging art tech and business for social good. For international students, it is also a great way for them to learn about Hong Kong’s culture by directly engaging with the people in the community,” says Mr Ryan Man, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies) and Director of the Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) programme at the School of Business. Half of the ARTOPIA participants were non-local students coming from the Chinese Mainland, India, Mexico, the Philippines and more.

 

HKBU students and the participating children joined co-creation sessions to explore innovative ways to blend creativity with technology. HKBU students and the participating children joined co-creation sessions to explore innovative ways to blend creativity with technology.
HKBU students and the participating children joined co-creation sessions to explore innovative ways to blend creativity with technology.

 

The spirit of showing up for one another

For international students like Alonso Meza Rodrigo from Mexico, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) with Marketing Concentration, he more than made up for the language gap with his basic Putonghua and enthusiasm for the project. “Children will always be children. You can make them laugh with your body language, tone of voice and facial expression. My sister, also an HKBU graduate, joined me on-site at the drone show and we were both proud to share our achievements at HKBU with family and friends back home in Mexico!”

Being attuned to the needs of individuals and communities who may not seek the spotlight is an invaluable trait. Patricia Shum Lam-wai, from the Bachelor of Arts and Science (Hons) in Arts and Technology in Individualised Major, is quick to point out the hidden communities, such as the families of the children and the staff at RHMC, play an equally vital role and the voices of the caregivers also deserve to be heard. 

The project’s momentum and sense of mission to serve the more vulnerable communities will continue into 2026, with the next batch of beneficiaries likely being children with special education needs, according to Mr Samuel Lam, Founder of X Social Group and Part-time Lecturer at the Department of Management, Marketing and Information Systems at HKBU.