What Beijing's Chinese New Year looks like from the sky

Sydneysiders may think their city does fireworks best but the Beijing night sky on Chinese New Year takes pyrotechnics to another level.

A pair of mates flew into the capital at midnight on February 19 to capture a bird’s eye view of the chaotic celebrations.

With traditional firecrackers exploding in all directions over the city skyline the scene could be mistaken for a colourful warzone.

Although it doesn’t look like it, authorities had attempted to curb the number of fireworks being let off over the lunar new year as part of its battle to fight the country’s smog and air pollution problem.

China’s Ministry of Public Security banned fireworks in 138 cities, while another 536 cities placed new restrictions on setting off the explosives.

Many fireworks vendors were only allowed to sell their wares for 10 days in 2015, instead of the 20 days last year and no limitations the year before.