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The show, which was pre-recorded for the event, surpassed Intel’s previous record achievement, when they flew 500 unmanned aerial vehicles airborne simultaneously in Germany in 2016.
A global audience was wowed as the fleet of drones formed a variety of custom vibrant animations, from the iconic Olympic rings through to a sporting figures.
Controlled by a single pilot and computer, Intel’s lightweight Shooting Star drones are specifically designed for entertainment. Constructed with a frame made of flexible plastics and foam, the Shooting Stars feature built-in LED lights that create more than four billion colour combinations and can be easily programmed for any animation.
Using the software and animation interface on the Intel Shooting Star drone system a light show can be created in days or weeks depending on the animation complexity. Fleet size is also dependant on animation intricacy. The animation creation process is automated by Intel’s proprietary algorithms using a reference image, calculating the number of drones needed, determining where they should be placed, and formulating the fastest path to create the image in the sky.
The light show control software also runs a complete fleet check before each flight and can select the most optimised drones for each flight based on battery life, GPS reception and more.
“We are honoured to have Intel drones playing several roles at the Olympic Games,” said Anil Nanduri, vice president and general manager, Intel Drone Group. “Not unlike the athletes competing in the events, we continue to push to innovate and develop the drone technologies that inspire people all over the world.”
Watch the stunning opening ceremony drone spectacular in all its glory in this video:
Credit: Intel Corporation
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