Having claimed Africa’s first ever gold medal in the 200-metre sprint at the Olympic Games, Botswana’s loud celebrations for its hugely talented athletic son, Letsile Tebogo’s record feat at the 2024 Paris Olympics was entirely understandable.

There was a public holiday declared, a financial reward, a water celebration when the Batswana team landed at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, thousands packed at the national Stadium and many more in the streets, just to get a glimpse of this one gold medal that Africa shares in the 200m Olympics dash.

What quote our eye here though, was how a local drone light show start-up grabbed its opportunity to provide entertainment at a local festival to remind people that Botswan was had nurtured an Olympic champion who looks to bring home more accolades at future international athletics events.

Lowapi Drone Light Shows, a drone company based in Botswana was at the 2024 Xere Cultural Festival, where it flew a swarm of synchronised small drones in celebration of the cultural event itself as well as recent achievements in the country.

And one of those achievements was Tebogo took 19,46 seconds to flash first across the finish line, ahead of a worldclass line up of the world’s fasted men, which included red hot favourite Noah Lyles.

It is lightshow display, Lowapi’s show runners flew the drones to write the words “Number 1” in the air, alongside a gold medal to commemorate this historic moment.

“The Drone Light show was commissioned by the Xere Community Trust and executed in partnership with Cyberdrone Drone Shows, operating out of Dubai,” said Mmoloki Pitse, Lowapi’s founder and director of story.

“The show featured 100 drones that brought to life the vibrant San culture through a breathtaking display of visual storytelling.

“The festival, which celebrates the “Night of the First People” through traditional dance, music, and food, was transformed into a modern celebration of culture and technology. The client envisioned a drone show that could weave together the ancient San indigenous knowledge with modern storytelling techniques. The show’s storyline visualized key elements of the San trance dance and rich cultural heritage.”

Other show highlights that the drone show included were a visual scene of a bow and arrow shooting across the sky at a kudu, which Pitse explained as symbolising the traditional hunting practices of the San people, which have been a cornerstone of their culture for generations.

The show also paid tribute to Botswana’s global leadership in diamond production, lighting up the sky with a glowing diamond.

“At the core of its existence, Lowapi Drone Light Shows, through its experiential tourism platform called “The Portal,” is revolutionising the way people engage with cultural and heritage sites by blending drone light shows with rich cultural narratives, creating immersive experiences that deepen visitors’ connections to history and culture,” Pitse added.

“The success of the Xere Cultural Festival drone show marks a significant step in using technology to enhance destination storytelling in Botswana and beyond.

He also thanked the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana for their role in ensuring that the lower airspace around the location of celebrations remained open only for the drone show; hence ensuring airspace safety during the event.