500 drones light up the NYC skyline in Candy Crush ad

A fleet of 500 drones lit up the Big Apple skyline Thursday night in a massive ad for the mobile video game Candy Crush — but critics aren’t sweet on what they consider airspace pollution.

The dazzling 10-minute display of light-equipped choreographed drones turned “the sky into the largest screen on the planet” at 7:45 p.m. to celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary, said Fernanda Romano, the company’s chief marketing officer.

“Manhattan will be transformed into a candified carnival,” the firm said in a press release promoting the event, adding it showcased colorful shapes from the game.  “[It’s a] once-in-a lifetime drone performance.”

But the spectacle highjacks the city’s already-stunning skyline and threatens birds and other wildlife, state Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) told Gothamist.

“I think it’s outrageous to be spoiling our city’s skyline for private profit,” said Hoylman after he was shown an invitation to the event. “It’s offensive to New Yorkers, to our local laws, to public safety and to wildlife.”

Others feared the light show would disorient thousands of migratory birds soaring above  the Empire State.

“The Hudson is an important flyway for birds, and luckily it’s been dark,” Dustin Partridge, the director of conservation and science at NYC Audubon, told the outlet.

“To come in like this without thinking about the impacts on the environment and the birds that will be flying in the same air space as those drones is surprising,” he said.

The high-flying gadgets were launched from across the Hudson River in New Jersey to dodge New York City’s aviation laws, which forbid flying even a single drone.

In order to stage the show, organizers received a special use permit because New Jersey state parks also have restrictions on flying drones.

In June, the NBA flew light-up drones over the Hudson River using the same loophole.