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New video: Behind the scenes at Tokyo Olympics drone show

You have seen the awe-inspiring revolving globe drone show at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Now, watch hundreds of drones take off and ascend toward the night sky like stunning shooting stars in this new behind-the-scenes video.

The dazzling drone light show during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was one of the best moments of the Opening Ceremony on Friday.

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A fleet of 1,824 Intel Shooting Star 3 drones took to the sky above the Olympic Stadium to form a complex set of geometrical shapes before transitioning into the blue-and-white checkered emblem of Tokyo 2020. Symbolizing the global solidarity and unity in diversity that the Olympic Games represent, the LED-equipped drones then reassembled to form a giant 3D model of the world, giving many a moment of hope amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, a new behind-the-scenes video shows how this iconic, emotional moment was created.

New Tokyo Olympics drone show video

The Intel team collaborated closely with the Tokyo 2020 creative teams to incorporate the drones into the Opening Ceremony narrative. The aim was to show that the world and its athletes are stronger together through a display of connection, unity, and hope.

Weighing just 340 grams, the Intel Shooting Star 3 drones are specially designed for entertainment purposes and are equipped with four LEDs that are unmatched in brightness and vibrancy. Meanwhile, each drone features real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS for increased positional accuracy that is needed for higher resolution animations, sharper imagery, and more dynamic 3D animations.

Incidentally, this is not the first time that Intel has programmed a drone display for the Olympic Games. The company operated over 1,200 drones at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, providing the first drone light show at an Olympic event. Intel designed and developed custom animations for the opening ceremony and nightly victory ceremony performances, which include animations of different sports and various Olympic-related logos including the formation of the iconic Olympic rings.

Must read: From sub-zero weather to threat of rains, Intel reveals Olympics drone light show challenges

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Avatar for Ishveena Singh Ishveena Singh

Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. She has been named as one of the 50 Rising Stars of the geospatial industry for the year 2021 by Geospatial World magazine.