German carmaker Audi has introduced its new electric car, the e-tron quattro, in a lavish show using Intel’s Shooting Star drones.
850 drones, precisely tuned to each other, flew a spectacular formation both in the event hall and in the open air, in a prelude to the electric car’s worldwide premiere.
The premium brand Audi welcomed 1,600 guests on the evening of Monday, 17 September 2018, just north of the Silicon Valley, as they crossed by boat to the historic Craneway Pavilion.
300 of the specialised drones, which can be controlled by just one operator and have the ability to shine through the dark night sky in a dazzling array of colours, graced the breathtaking skyline of San Francisco as part of a large multimedia show.
The first 300 lighted flying objects already greeted guests from all over the world, conjuring up the familiar four-ringed logo of Audi above their heads in a display that the guests called “electrifying”.
A further 550 drones in the subsequent light staging marked the words “e-tron” in the air to celebrate the launch of the first electric SUV to be released by the automaker.
Intel‘s Shooting Star drones have featured in many drone light shows to date, and the computing giant now holds the world record for the largest number of drones flown in unison when it celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year.
The launch of the Audi e-tron marks the start of a 12 model offensive by the German automaker into the burgeoning electric car market.
Audi plans to have twelve electric models on offer by 2025 – from the compact to the luxury class. The Audi e-tron will be launched in Europe in 2018.