First ever use of 300 highly choreographed drones equipped with synchronized LED lights dazzled the Super Bowl half-time crowd. Lady Gaga in her silver studded outfit with matching boots appears to dive off the top of NRG Stadium in Houston but not before the sky lit up with Intel’s collaborative Gaga effect behind the pop star. The American flag appears to animate waving in the sky and created a jaw-dropping experience before I let out a gasp when Gaga jumps toward the middle of the stadium from the roof.
The magic behind one of live tv’s most elaborate tech effect apparently did not happen the night of the Super Bowl. FAA rules strictly prohibit drones from flying within 34.5 miles of the Super Bowl during the event. Instead, the element with weeks of preparation was filmed earlier in the week leading up to Super Bowl with the permission of the FAA and Houston Hobby Airport which shares a similar flight path.
You would never know that Lady Gaga’s special effect was not live based on how well executed the half-time showed looked. Lady Gaga alluded in previous interviews that her half-time show required her to do yoga for strength building her core for the acrobatic moves that had Cirque du Soleil tweeting applause to the singer.
Weighing just 8 ounces each, the 300 Intel drones made of plastic and foam are sent into the sky with a team of people and just one laptop computer acting as the central aerial choreographer. Reserve drones replace any that fizzle out during the performance within seconds.
The Intel drones originated with the goal of putting the Intel logo in the sky. The rapidly growing performance technology has expanded and is previously seen in live performances over Sydney Australia and at Disney World.