Why do Kite Aerial Photography ?

One goal of photographic art is to see the commonplace from a new point of view. Here, you’re looking at the PI Globe, mounted on top of a big downtown building, from a vantage point you’ll never ever have using any other platform.

Certain types of aerial photographic tasks are more easily, cheaply, simply, or legally accomplished with a kite rather than an airplane. Getting close to the Taj Mahal was the only way to get aerial photographs, since aviation near the site has been banned since shortly after airplanes were invented.

Certain FUN challenges arise for the technically minded : making lightweight, reliable gear, aiming the camera, etc.

Kite Aerial Photography captures interesting shadows.

Kite and KAP Rig

Kite and camera setup. Here the manual KAP rig is suspended some 100 feet (30 m) below the Sutton Flowform 30. This setup is appropriate for days with relatively light wind (10-15 mph). Photo date 1/98, © J.S. Aber.

All necessary gear for kite aerial photography is stowed in the toolbox and small pack seen below. This includes a Sutton Flowform 16 kite, kite line on plastic spools, folded Picavet suspension, Samsung camera and its cradle, film, tiedown anchor and handle, spare parts and batteries, small tools, and various accessories. This equipment can be carried easily in the field or when traveling. Photo © J.S. Aber

The Picavet suspension is normally attached 50 to 100 feet (15-30 m) below the Sutton Flowform 16. The camera is housed in a cradle secured to the suspension about 5 feet (11⁄2 m) beneath the kite line. This arrangement helps to protect the camera from line vibrations and sudden movements of the kite. Photo © J.S. Aber.

Picavet SuspensionThe author's Picavet (pronounced pickavay) suspension consists of an aluminum cross-frame with small pulleys that are attached by a continuous line to pulley-blocks on the kite line. In this version the frame members are 18 inches long, and the line arrangement is based on the Rendsburg model (Beutnagel et al. 1995). The Picavet suspension provides a stable, self-levelling platform that resists twisting and swinging movement of the kite line. This Picavet setup was built from common parts and materials available at hardware stores.

The cradle consists of a teak-and-oak box attached to an aluminum bracket. Rubber balls (practice golf balls) on the ends of the bracket protect the camera upon landing. Position of the cradle can be rotated 360° horizontally and tilted 90° vertically. Total weight of this rig (including the camera) is 33 oz. (930 g). Photo © J.S. Aber.

Samsung Maxima Zoom camera and its cradle attached to the Picavet suspension. The camera is secured by a tripod mounting screw, and mini bunge cords serve as safety straps. The right cord also depresses the "landscape" button on front of the camera. The Samsung camera weighs 15 oz. (425 g) including batteries and film.

View Down the Line Low-oblique view straight down the kite line to the ground anchor (at a post). The author stands in the road to left. In the Pine Ridge, near Chadron, northwestern Nebraska. Photo date 6/97; © J.S. Aber.

Radio-controlled KAP rig in action. Camera is set in the "landscape" position for high-oblique views, and the yellow antenna mast serves for visual indication of camera azimuth. The dihedral stabilizers are not shown in this image. Photo date 3/98, © J.S. Aber.

This heavy-duty rig is based on the Canon EOS RebelX, which is a 35-mm, full-featured, SLR camera. This camera was selected because its plastic body makes it quite light. The camera is equiped with a plastic zoom lens (35-80 mm focal length), which is also relatively light. The main frame is titanium with aluminum used for other frame components and the Picavet cross. Standard servos with brass gears are powered by a 250 mA battery pack. This rig has full capability for horizontal pan (0-360°) and vertical tilt (depression angle 15° to 90°).

Total weight is just over 1 kg (36 oz.). In spite of the relatively heavy weight, this rig is surprisingly easy to fly. It generally requires a kite of 2.8 to 3.3 m∑ (30-36 ft∑) lifting-surface area for moderate wind speed of 16-32 km/h (10-20 mph). Smaller kites can be used with stronger wind. For lighter wind, a pair of two large kites is used flying from the same main line.

The problem of putting high-resolution and good optics into a small digital camera is solved with the Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Elph (also known as the Digital Ixus in Europe). The camera is the size of a credit card and weighs just over 7 oz (200 g) including the battery. It has a 1200x1600 CCD pixel array and a zoom lens, which together produce amazingly clear pictures. The stainless-steel body is especially attractive for rugged field use. Once again, Brooks Leffler has constructed an efficient rig to fly the Canon Digital Elph (3/01). The rig features full radio control of camera tilt, pan, and shutter trigger (see below). Weight of the complete rig with camera is just 625 g (22 oz).

High-resolution digital cameras have become increasingly available at moderate cost; however, most are too bulky or heavy for effective KAP application.

Stereo photos allow the viewer to "see" the scene in three dimensions, when photo pairs are viewed through a special device, called a stereoscope. Stereo photography is the basis for accurate measurements and mapping based on principles of photogrammetry. Two Stylus Epic cameras are mounted on a boom, 93.5 cm (about 37 inches) apart. The cameras point in the same direction and are triggered by microservos via radio signal.

Low-oblique, normal-color view of forest, lake and small clearing. Boy Scout camp Jayhawk, near Topeka, Kansas. Photo date 6/99, © J.S. Aber.

Color-infrared view of forest, lake and small clearing. Boy Scout camp Jayhawk, near Topeka, Kansas. Active vegetation appears as red and pink in this false-color image.