What were the lights above Lady Gaga during the 2017 Super Bowl halftime show?

Culture

Lady Gaga's Super Bowl halftime show in Houston was a masterful performance with plenty of spectacle

For one, take the massive American flag illuminating the sky. What were those lights? The simple answer: drones. 

Drone power

Tech company Intel wasted no time bragging on Twitter about the drones it supplied for Gaga's show: 

According to USA Today, 300 shooting star Intel Drones were used in a pre-recorded segment featuring Gaga's rendition of "God Bless America." The same drones formed the Pepsi logo in the halftime show's closing scene, too. Filming took place over several days, with the main shoot occurring Jan. 30. 

"Lady Gaga and the Super Bowl creative team wanted to pull off something that had never been done before and we were able to combine Intel drone innovation with her artistry to pull off a truly unique experience," Josh Walden, general manager of Intel's New Technology Group, said in a statement to GeekWire. "The potential for these light show drones is endless and we hope this experience inspires other creatives, artists and innovators to really think about how they can incorporate drone technology in new ways that have yet to even be thought of."

Intel unveiled its drones to the public over the holidays at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The drones can make more than 4 billion color combinations.