As Lady Gaga wowed the crowds in Houston, Texas, but more than her performance people noticed a pattern of shimmering lights, bobbing in the air behind her. That was Intel¡¯s drone army, where 300 fully autonomous drones flew in formation to mesmerising effect!
Lady Gaga¡¯s halftime show at Superbowl 2017 would forever be remembered for its political statements and Intel¡¯s Shoot Star drone army, which appeared to fly in formation behind Lady Gaga, lit up in red, blue and white -- the colours and pattern of the American flag.
As the Intel-powered drones flew up in a choreographed aerial show to kick-off Lady Gaga¡¯s performance, they achieved several firsts.
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Flying so many drones in the sky like a small aerial swarm army is not only restricted under American law but it invites a heavy penalty, but Intel received a special waiver from the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) to fly the Shooting Star drone fleet up to 700 feet -- this is the highest the Intel Shooting Star drones have ever flown. Intel also received an additional special waiver to fly the drones in the more restricted class B airspace.
Featuring built-in LED lights that can create over 4 billion colour combinations in the sky, the Intel Shooting Star drones are designed specifically for light shows and weigh only 280 grams ¨C less than the weight of a volleyball. The Intel drones are constructed with a soft frame made of flexible plastics and foam. They contain no screws and they can fly for up to 20 minutes.
Intel Shooting Star Drone Weighs Only 280 grams and can fly for up to 2 hours
According to Intel, this is the first time drones have been used during a televised event and/or Super Bowl. Not just that, this is also the very first-time drones were used to complement an entertainment act at this scale, featuring 300 autonomous drones. All 300 drones can be controlled by one computer and one drone pilot, but there is always a second pilot on hand as a backup.
The Intel Shooting Star is the company¡¯s first drone created for entertainment light shows. The drone is designed with safety and creativity in mind with a lightweight structure and virtually limitless colour combinations.
The pilot software controlling the Intel Shooting Star drone formation in the air
To emphasise his point, Mr Nanduri draws attention to Intel¡¯s acquisition of MAVinci GmbH, a drone company based in Germany that offers best-in-class flight planning software.
The Intel Shooting Star Drone is Incredibly light
With this acquisition, Intel¡¯s gaining expertise in flight planning software algorithms and also fixed-wing drone design capabilities that complement the technology and expertise Intel previously acquired from Ascending Technologies, claims Mr Nanduri.
¡°This acquisition will play a key role in providing [drone based] solutions for industries such as agriculture, insurance, construction, mining and more.¡±
We can¡¯t wait to see what more the future holds for Intel¡¯s Shooting Star drones in India and around the world!