Traditional festivals bring people together through faith and experiences. They also help organisers to create a unique offering through a creative concept, while still retaining the aspects that make the festival what it is. At Sri Kothamma Thalli Ammavari Jatara in Kotabommali, Andhra Pradesh, BotLab Dynamics has added a new layer to the regional celebration with their drone show. This helped bridge local regional stories and identity to a contemporary visual experience.
How Event Organisers Can Engage their Audience for Maximum Impact
The traditional celebration already has its own attractions. However, an organiser may want to introduce new ways that would be memorable for the attendees in a different way to drive massive engagement.
Drone shows offer a unique opportunity, especially for festival events, as they provide an immersive experience for large public gatherings. An aerial drone show not only ensures a higher footfall but also possesses huge virality potential on the internet.
When designed with care to reflect the celebration to which it is accompanying, a drone show could offer multiple attractions and dimensions to a festival.
4 Ways to Bring Local Traditions to Life Through Drone Shows
Integrating a drone show with the traditional festival theme could be done in a few ways:
Bring local stories to life: Aerial displays could depict local legends, gods and goddesses, temples, landmarks, and other aspects that are considered part of a region's cultural fabric.
Create a unique attraction: A drone show in the night sky could be another unique attraction that is part of the event.
Reflect regional identity: Local landmarks, familiar stories, and regional monuments could help to make a drone show relevant to its audience.
Create a memorable experience: Memorable aerial displays could give an audience a talking point for the event, potentially capturing and sharing the experience in photos or videos on social media.
The main objective should be designing a concept that truly reflects the occasion and captures its vibe in an authentic manner. A show designed to accompany a festive event would have a different set of storytelling priorities compared to one that would support a tourism campaign.
How BotLab Dynamics brought Kotabommali Jatara to the Skyline
BotLab Dynamics successfully executed two drone shows on 14th and 15th October, 2026 on the occasion of Ammavari Jatara in Kotabommali, Srikakulam district. Each show was comprised of hundreds of drones, depicting visuals inspired by the festival and the wider Andhra Pradesh region's cultural heritage.
The Kothamma Thalli drone show portrayed aerial imagery of Sri Kothamma Thalli, along with various relevant religious and cultural icons.
The creative concept drew from the traditional bullock-cart story associated with the Goddess. According to the legends, an elderly woman once asked to travel in a bullock cart and disappeared when the cart reached Kotabommali. The account is linked to the origins of the sacred site.
The show also featured visuals of Palasa Cashew, a well-known regional product, along with portraits of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
What to Consider While Planning a Festival Drone Show
A successful festival drone show does not start with the drones rising up to the sky. It starts with understanding the occasion and how an aerial show can be utilised to complement the celebration.
An event organiser should consider four things before planning a drone show for a religious festival.
Understanding the Occasion: It is pivotal to be aware of the local traditions, folk stories and themes associated with the festival.
Knowing your audience: Have a clear understanding of the audience to know the specific visuals that would speak to the attendees and respect the event being celebrated.
Consider the event schedule: The third step is to consider the event activities. Think of what could be a good fit for the show and how it could be scheduled amidst the event's activities.
Execution - The Final Step: Certain factors such as venue suitability, weather conditions, necessary permissions, crowd management, etc., require a great deal of event management expertise to pull off a successful drone show.
These considerations could make all the difference in making a drone show not feel like a gimmick, but an immersive spectacle that is experienced by the people in complete sync.
How the Srikakulam Drone Show Celebrated Regional Heritage
The Kotabommali Jatara drone show is one of the many examples of how BotLab Dynamics ruled the skyline of Srikakulam through their drone show to depict regional culture, thereby making the audience feel one with the celebration.
The company has previously organised a Srikakulam Arasavalli drone show for Rathasaptami, which depicted yet another culturally significant celebration in the Srikakulam region.
Whether celebrating local heritage, promoting a destination or marking a major public event, the creative direction should always start with understanding the purpose of the occasion.
State celebrations, tourism campaigns, agricultural fairs, cultural festivals and government-organised public gatherings could all use drone shows to share messages with their audiences.
Bridging Tradition & Technology through a Festival Drone Show
Traditional festivals are not supposed to lose their identity for the sake of a new experience being added to the celebration. When thoughtfully planned around the occasion and its audience, drone shows could be yet another unique attraction to a traditional festival. The Kotabommali Jatara is a perfect example of how stories and local culture can be woven into the skyline using drones while still keeping it relevant to the particular festival.
Planning a festival or public celebration? Look into how BotLab Dynamics can help you create a drone show that reflects your event, its audience, and objectives.
