Drones steal the show at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Laurence Griffiths
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Laurence Griffiths
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: VCG
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: VCG
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
Athletes and volunteers watch a drones flying to form a globe in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: ANDREJ ISAKOVIC
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: BEHROUZ MEHRI
Drones fly together to create the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games' emblem in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Laurence Griffiths
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Laurence Griffiths
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: VCG
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: VCG
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
Athletes and volunteers watch a drones flying to form a globe in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: ANDREJ ISAKOVIC
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: BEHROUZ MEHRI
Drones fly together to create the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games' emblem in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Laurence Griffiths
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Laurence Griffiths
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: VCG
A drone display is seen over the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
PHOTO: VCG
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
Athletes and volunteers watch a drones flying to form a globe in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: ANDREJ ISAKOVIC
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: JEWEL SAMAD
Drones fly to form an image of the Earth in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: BEHROUZ MEHRI
Drones fly together to create the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games' emblem in the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021.
PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are officially underway. One of the shining moments of the opening ceremony was a drone show powered by Intel.
More than 1,800 drones filled the air above the stadium, creating shapes and eventually morphing into a world globe.
It's not the first time Intel drones have flown above an opening ceremony. In 2018 in Pyeongchang, more than 1,200 drones flew in formation above the event in formation, breaking a world record.
Friday's show, while spectacular, falls well below the current world record, which was set in Sept. 2020, when more than 3,000 drones flew in formation in China.