A 3D drone show creator tool for Intel Drone Light Shows

Intel is a global leader in the semiconductor sector that designs and manufactures state-of-the-art processors and computing technologies for PCs, data centers, and AI systems. 

The company has recently started a new chapter in its operations: Intel® Drone Light Shows. By combing the power of storytelling and the latest aerial technologies, Intel has decided to develop a platform to support coordinated, semi-autonomous drone swarm performances. 

Drone swarm deployments for entertainment and advertising have traditionally been labor-intensive, requiring extensive pre-show preparation and on-site coordination. Intel set out to change this by rethinking how drone light shows are designed and executed.

However, its existing toolset relied on fragmented systems, creating friction for creative teams, especially in the form of long preparation times and a steep learning curve.

Together with Tieto Tech Consulting, Intel aimed to develop a unified, intuitive interface that would enable artists to orchestrate complex drone swarm performances, streamline production workflows, and significantly reduce planning and setup time.

Tietoevry Tech Consulting developed a specialized 3D editor to simplify and accelerate the creation of Intel-powered drone light shows.

Built to meet demanding production requirements, the solution combines high-performance 3D rendering with a modern, intuitive interface. A cross-functional team of 3D (OpenGL) engineers and UX/UI specialists worked closely with Intel’s Product Owner and Technical Lead, following an iterative delivery approach to tackle technical challenges throughout development and testing.

The result is a highly responsive, artist-friendly drone show creator software, built on the Qt QML framework, with real-time 3D visualization powered by OpenGL — an industry standard for high-performance graphics. Artists can design and preview drone formations within realistic terrain contexts, thanks to integrated 3D terrain mapping that accounts for topography and obstacles, allowing issues to be identified long before deployment.

To further streamline workflows, multiple commercial 3D tools were consolidated into a single editor, reducing setup time and complexity. Seamless integration with production software, hardware, and on-site control systems ensures a unified, end-to-end workflow from design to execution.

Together, these capabilities enable creative teams to design complex drone light shows faster, with greater confidence and control.

Given the high stakes of live drone performances — where even minor issues can lead to equipment loss or show cancellations — performance and scalability were critical from day one. Our team conducted extensive testing at every stage, including real-world simulations of large drone fleets to validate system responsiveness under varied operating conditions.

These tests revealed key performance bottlenecks, which were systematically addressed to ensure the platform could support longer flight sequences with up to 10,000 drones.

Within nine months, the final product was delivered. The collaboration has since continued, with our team supporting further feature development, performance optimization, and ongoing platform maintenance.

With the the new platform, the preparation time for drone shows was reduced from several months to just 2-3 days. Visualized 3D terrains help with better show planning and obstacle avoidance. 

For creative teams, this translates into faster production cycles, higher-quality shows, and greater operational efficiency. Shorter turnaround times enable quicker delivery to clients, unlock new commercial opportunities, and reduce risk through more precise planning.

Since its launch, Intel Drone Light Show has set the Guinness World Record for the most drones flown simultaneously during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games 2018. The technology has since powered large-scale performances in 24 countries, including global events such as the Super Bowl halftime show, Singapore’s National Day, and Coachella.