HBO Max Sends an Eight-Metre Dragon Soaring Over London

House of the Dragon returned in striking fashion this week, as a giant flying dragon swept across the London skyline near the Tower of London to launch the show's third season on HBO Max.

An Eight-Metre Syrax Takes Flight

The stunt, staged by Electric Sheep Events, featured an eight-metre flying model of Syrax, one of the show's most recognisable dragons, brought to life using production scans from the series. Weighing thirteen kilograms, the model took three months and almost three thousand hours to build. A sixteen-person team used foam, carbon fibre and aluminium to construct the frame before adding the detailed finish, while impellers hidden inside the legs helped give the flight a more lifelike feel.

Months of Testing Behind a Few Minutes in the Sky

Nils Schlenther, chief operating officer at Airstage, described the build as one of the company's most intricate flying models to date. His team spent months refining the dragon's movement and carried out more than seven test flights to make sure Syrax behaved the way fans would expect from the screen.

A Reception Fit for Westeros

Following the flight, guests attended an evening reception hosted by Harriet Rose, joined by cast members Kieran Bew, Tom Bennett, Clinton Liberty and Abubakar Salim. The activation marks the return of the fantasy drama, with its new eight-episode season now underway and fresh episodes airing weekly through to the August finale.