Intel breaks drone record with Olympics display with promise of more to come

Television viewers worldwide got a glimpse of the capabilities of the latest generation of compact UAVs during coverage of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

A light show put on by a coordinated swarm of 1218 Intel Shooting Star drones formed an animated display, setting a Guinness world record for “the most unmanned aerial vehicles airborne simultaneously”. The swarm will also be in action throughout the games during medal ceremonies, which will include animations of the appropriate sports, and Olympic-related logos including the familiar linked rings.

Intel was also the previous record holder, with a flight of 500 drones in Germany in 2016. To ensure the show was perfect for the opening ceremony, the flight was pre-recorded in this case.

Intel is now a main sponsor of the Olympics, with a deal running through to 2024. The Shooting Star display is the first fruit and the visible marker of that relationship, but the company’s plans for drones are far-reaching and include flying cameras to help provide a virtual reality view of various sports, and using sensor-bearing drones to help measure athletes’ performances. Shooting Star drones are specifically designed for entertainment light shows, providing a more coordinated alternative to fireworks displays.