Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl half time show drones weren’t actually there
The spectacular flying aircraft weren't allowed to be anywhere near the stadium during the event
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The 51st Super Bowl proved quite the spectacle last night, with the New England Patriots pulling off a stunning comeback to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28, having been 25 points behind in the third quarter.
However, as is always the case, fans have been talking about the ads and half time show just as much as the on-field action.
Lady Gaga took centre stage at this year’s game, wowing viewers with a performance that featured subliminal digs at President Trump, a roof dive and a spectacular drone show involving 300 flying devices.
However, all was not quite as it seemed.
As reported by the Verge, the drones weren’t actually flying live, due to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flying restrictions. Instead, they were filmed earlier in the week.
Ahead of this year’s Super Bowl, the FAA issued a ban on drones for a 34.5-mile radius around the NRG Stadium, where the this year’s game took place.
“Drones are becoming much more popular, but they also pose certain safety risks," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We’re working closely with our safety and security partners to spread the No Drone Zone message as widely as possible.”
Intel, which supplied the Shooting Star drones used in the show, therefore had to seek special permission to operate them at the venue at all.
The company's light-up aircraft can all be controlled by a single system, and this was the first time they were used as part of a televised event.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments