Uber tested drones carrying ads over cars in Mexico City, but it won’t be a regular event

The flock of drones buzzing over cars and bearing signs touting Uber’s service looked straight out of a science-fiction movie. But if you’re hoping to see the airborne ads next time you’re on the freeway, you’re out of luck.

Uber may have flown drones over gridlocked traffic in Mexico City this summer, but that doesn’t mean you’ll start seeing them on your daily commute.

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Just drones advertising uberPOOL while you are stuck in traffic pic.twitter.com/ZRduNW6Jiz

— Jelle Prins (@jelleprins) October 14, 2016

The drones were part of a marketing effort by Uber in its busiest city, flying above traffic holding a sign that roughly translates to, “Are you going alone? For that reason you’ll never see the volcanoes #UberPOOL.” The sign references Mexico City’s thick smog, which makes it hard to see the Popocatépetl volcano that towers over the city. The drones were an advertisement for UberPool, the company’s carpooling service.

An Uber spokesperson told Business Insider that the drones are not part of a wider marketing effort on Uber's part and were just a one-time occurrence - they only flew around for a matter of minutes. The company did not measure the results and said it has no plans to try it out in another city anytime soon.

Uber frequently tests out attention-grabbing marketing efforts that are often short-term offerings. In the past, the ride-hailing company has tried out UberYacht and UberChopper, which let riders hail a yacht or helicopter ride, respectively, and is said to be launching UberBalloon in China. The drones were likely intended to be a fun, one-time thing to get the attention of one of its fastest-growing markets.