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How Drones Helped To Make Lady Gaga's Super Bowl Performance Shine

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was an action-packed performance that ended with Lady Gaga dropping the mic.

"She killed it. As usual," said Roxanne Whitaker of Philadelphia.

"I thought she did a great job," added Nicole Voigt of Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

But, before the superstar lit up the stage at Super Bowl LI, she lit up the sky.

"I didn't know what it was at first," admitted Voigt.

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Peter Puthenveetil of Philadelphia agreed, "It took me a little while to realize what was going on."

"Anyone know how that was done?" asked John O'Connor, in town from Kansas City.

According to Intel, the display was made up of 300 of their shooting star drones, all choreographed to create the spectacular sight.

Pre-recorded and shot over several days because of FAA regulations and weather restrictions, Intel used something called swarm technology to operate each device with a single computer and pilot.

Each drone weighed less than ten ounces, but could build over four billion color combinations. "Drones are awesome and scary," said Puthenveetil.

Experts like Colin Romberger, the lead drone consultant with Dart Drones says drones could one day revolutionize search and rescue operations, even delivery service.

"The video I saw for Amazon, it was landing on the front porch," said Voigt.

They could also act as work multipliers, from mapping, inspecting and spraying for agriculture to transporting building materials to construction sites.

But, there are some concerns when it comes to developing the technology.

"I'd be worried one would fall out of the sky," said Sean Jaeger of Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

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"I'm uncomfortable just knowing or thinking that," admitted Whitaker. Puthenveetil spoke for most of us when he told Eyewitness News, "I hope someone smarter than me can figure it out."

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