UPDATED: According to CBS News, due to FAA regulations, the drones featured during the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show were pre-recorded.
What appeared to be hundreds of drones lighting up the sky above Lady Gaga during the Super Bowl LI’s Halftime Show, was actually a pre-recorded spectacle. While Lady Gaga did perform live, an amazing light show comprised of hundreds of drones was pre-edited for broadcast alongside the singer’s live performance. The decision to pre-edit the drone show was due to a strict ruling by the FAA that prohibited drones at the Super Bowl.
Those watching Super Bowl LI from their screens at home were treated to a fleet of 300 drones called Shooting Stars, powered by Intel, lighting up the sky above the “Poker Face” performer. Creating a dazzling patterned light display, the drones were attached to LED lights that danced in the sky in unison as Intel controlled them via a main computer. The choreographed drones made beautiful patterns ranging from the American flag, to spelling out the name of the halftime show sponsor, “Pepsi.”
The drones could not be flown live during the big game due to strict regulations and safety concerns, as the FAA ruled that “the airspace around NRG stadium in Houston is a No Drone Zone for the Super Bowl.”
Stay up to date on the latest drone news and updates, including FAA rules and regulations by visiting Adorama’s Drones page.
This wasn’t the first time Intel has showcased their Shooting Stars. Intel debuted the technology back in December in partnership with Disney. Twice the amount of drones were used at the Disney show, with 600 drones creating an ethereal light display above the magic kingdom.
As magical as the drones may appear, the real secret behind them is the straightfoward technology powered by a desktop software suite of programs. As much as the drones appear to be communicating and moving in unision with one another, the drones’ flight patterns are actually pre-programmed into each individual drone.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQJvljQhl0a/?taken-by=nfl&hl=en
In order to create the Shooting Star drones, Intel partnered with artists and tech researchers at Ars Electronica Futurelab in Linz, Austria. The goal was to create the perfect, lightweight drone for light shows. In keeping with that mission, each drone is made of plastic and styrofoam and only weighs 280 grams. The LED light attached to the bottom of the drone can emit over 4 billion LED color combinations.
(Click images below to view full-size.)
The pilot program in 2015 started with only 100 drones sent into flight and controlled by four pilots. However, by late 2016, the technology was advanced enough to put 500 drones into flight at once.
While the drones have been mostly used for entertainment purposes up until now, Intel is hoping that the technology will have much more valuable applications in the future. For example, the technology could be incredibly useful in search and rescue missions, inspections programs, or can even work together to creating one floating LED screen.
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Cover photo courtesy of Intel via “Intel’s 500 Drone Light Show”
