Intel ran a drone show during Lady Gaga's performance during a break in the US Super Bowl

During the performance of the singer, known as Lady Gaga, during a break in the US Super Bowl, Intel showed how to manage hundreds of Copters at the same time. We are talking about the show drones, which served as a supplement to the performance of the singer. The show itself was called Shooting Stars, and this was already the second demonstration of this kind. For the first time, a drone show was shown at a holiday in Disney World. During the performance of the singer, all these hundreds of drones (we are talking about 300 devices) were controlled from one center and made up a single system.

Intel has long been working on technology to control unmanned aerial vehicles, so the show itself is not only an entertainment target. During the "performance" of the smart system, the developers showed what they had achieved. According to the project team, you can control not hundreds but thousands of drones at the same time - up to 10 thousand vehicles.


One of the secrets of successful management of a mass of copters is a desktop program developed by Intel. It sets the actions of each of the drones. The same software platform analyzes the behavior of each device during a performance and, if necessary, changes some parameters of the entire system. The devices used in the show are not at all “smart”, they do not have sensors for exchanging information with each other or for assessing the environment in order to go around obstacles. Drones are controlled by software, which helps to avoid chaotic movements of the rotors with a possible collision. With the central system, the copters interact using wireless communication.
')
The weight of each copter does not exceed the weight of a volleyball, and their design is very simple. Each drone can be assembled in less than 15 minutes. All structural elements are created in an enterprise located in Germany. An interesting point is that the assembly does not use screw connections. At the bottom of each drone is a large LED that can change color when a corresponding command is received. A system of hundreds of copters can create about 4 billion color combinations. Copters are not as fast or maneuverable as some consumer devices, but here speed and maneuverability are not required. At least now.



Before the show started, the copters were located on the launch pad just a few centimeters from each other. Being on this site, they were charged on a special surface with removed electrodes relating to the contact elements of the copters.

As already mentioned, Intel first tested its technology at the Disney show. While a single whole acted 500 copters. The software allowed to monitor the status of each device, including its location and charge level. Studying this data in real time, the system decides where and how each of the drivers should act. Then Intel set a specific world record, which was called "the maximum number of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles operating simultaneously."

Intel has been working on a mass drone control project for more than two years. In the second half of 2015, the corporation tested 100 such devices at the same time. They managed to get to act as a single system. By the way, if something happens during a flight with a copter, it sits down and a backup device takes its place. All this happens in a few seconds.

According to Intel developers, their technology is needed not only to create entertainment shows. In fact, all this has a practical meaning - the drones system can be used during search and rescue operations, the copters can evaluate the quality of equipment or goods in enterprises. For example, at the airfield, a group of copters, controlled by special software, can analyze the condition of the aircraft. Intel drones are able to explore the water tower, if necessary. However, before offering such a solution, Intel will have to overcome not only a number of technological difficulties. The problem is still in the requirements of the regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (Federal Aviation Administration, FAA). One of the requirements states that the operator must be in direct line of sight to the drone while the latter is in operation. Therefore, to send a “flock” of copters to an unknown distance to study, for example, the consequences of a forest fire will not work yet.



But now everything is easier - Intel shows the show, killing two birds with one stone at a time. The first is to draw attention to its technology and the second is to test the system itself in the “field”.

Both of these goals can be called achieved. First, the show was seen by 160 million people, much more than during the Disney show. Secondly, the system worked perfectly, in any case, no technical problems were noticed.