Intel Drones Form Glowing Globe Above Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony
Over 1,800 Intel drones take to the sky during the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, forming a glowing rotating Earth while artists perform John Lennon's Imagine.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics kick off with a visually stunning opening ceremony that features a massive drone light show programmed by Intel. Over 1,824 illuminated drones take to the night sky above the Olympic Stadium, initially forming a geometric sphere of shifting blue blocks before smoothly rearranging into a detailed, rotating model of planet Earth.
This spectacular aerial display serves as a breathtaking backdrop for a live performance of John Lennon's "Imagine." Artists from five continents, including John Legend, Keith Urban, and Angélique Kidjo, join the Suginami Children's Choir to sing the iconic song, perfectly matching the event's "United by Emotion" theme and captivating hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.
Drone shows offer a modern, eco-friendly alternative to traditional fireworks, using coordinated flying robots to create complex shapes and dynamic lighting effects. Intel previously introduced this technology at the 2018 Winter Olympics, but the sheer scale and emotional impact of this glowing global map leave a lasting impression on spectators and mark a memorable highlight of the delayed Tokyo Games.