Airplanes have been flying billboard advertisements since the early 1920s. Thanks to the advent and rapidly growing popularity of drone technology, there might be aerial advertisements piloted by drones.
Intel, a tech company, unveiled its new “shooting star” drone in early November showing 500 drones flying across the sky in an airfare-style formation in Germany.
According to CNN Money, these drones are all autonomous and are equipped with LED light propellers that light up the sky. Programmers can design the drone formations to their liking and can write sky messages with the LED lighting, the first example spelling “Intel” high above the ground.
“Think of a display in the sky,” said Anil Nanduri, vice president of Intel’s New Technology Group. “What would you do with it?”
Seeking Alpha reports that Intel plans on being the best-in-class regarding the brand new flight planning department of drone technology. The company recently acquired MAVinci, which will further the drone software experience Intel was originally lacking.
“With this transaction, we are gaining expertise in flight planning software algorithms and also fixed-wing drone design capabilities that complement the technology and knowledge Intel previously acquired from Ascending Technologies,” Nanduri added. “This new acquisition will play a key role in providing solutions for industries such as agriculture, insurance, construction, mining and more.”
A few years ago, technology companies had one or two prototype drones. Two years ago, Intel, the first of its kind, sent up a fleet of 100 drones into the sky. Only to outdo itself, Intel sent 500 more drones into the night sky with LED lighting equipped to spell out the first drone-based aerial advertisement in history.
Brian Krzanich, Intel’s Chief Executive Officer, has recently hinted at doubling that number and flying 1,000 drones at once. All this happened in a matter of only three years, so it’ll be interesting to see just how many drones frequent the sky in the near future.
“When they saw the light show,” added Nanduri, “they said, ‘Wow your team did that?'”
