Kite Aerial Photography

The first Kite Aerial Photograph dates back to France in 1888. Kites were then utilized for many different purposes including military reconnaissance, disaster assessment, scientific surveys, and more.

In 1906 photographer George Lawrence succeeded in suspending his 49 pound hand-built panoramic camera high into the air above San Francisco by using a connected chain of Conyne Kites flown from a ship in the San Francisco Bay. The result was an incredible photograph titled "San Francisco in Ruins" which provides the viewer with a unique perspective of the widespread destruction caused by the great San Francisco earthquake which occurred just weeks before.

By the 1930's the development of powered flight gradually brought an end to the golden age of Kite Aerial Photography. However, during the past few decades KAP has experienced a renaissance, especially with the development of high-quality, low-cost, and light-weight digital cameras.

Click on the photo below to see a larger version with zoom-in capability:

There are several different kite styles that work well for Kite Aerial Photography, providing a smooth lift and ride for your camera. Please note that different kites are better suited for different wind conditions as well.

The Flow Form Kite is preferred due to it's ease of deployment. Simply unfold the kite and the wind will lift it into the air. The Flow Form 16 is great for winds of 15 to 30 mph, whereas the larger Flowform 30 is a good choice for winds of 8 to 20 mph. Some people prefer to add a fuzzy tail for additional stability. You can usually find the Flow Form at either Amazon or Brooxes.com.

The Delta and the Delta Conyne Kite - great for low to medium winds. Kites with a wingspan of 9 1/2 feet, 10 feet, or 11 feet, are ideal for wind conditions of 5 to 20 mph.

The Rokkaku Kite is a six-sided kite based on a traditional Japanese design and a favorite for light wind situations. The 6' x 5' size if great for winds of 5 to 15 mph. The Giant Rokkako, 7.5' x 6' will develop a great pull in very light winds and should not be used in winds of 10 mph or greater. A streamer tail can be added for increased stability.

The Dopero Kite is another large kite, normally custom-made, but great for very low wind conditions of 4 to 12 mph. However, this kite requires more assembly time than the others.

Line and Accessories:

When purchasing a kite, you will also purchase the kite string, or line, and a spool (sometimes referred to as a hoop, or winder). The line is available in different strengths - be sure to purchase the correct line poundage indicated for your chosen kite. You can also choose the length of your line, normally 500' for 1000' along with the corresponding hoop size to hold your line. We use a 500' line and have found that to be more than enough.

An optional accessory is a snap swivel (the same poundage as your line). Secure the swivel to the end of the line on your spool by using a Double Lark's Head Knot (see downloadable diagram). This will create a fast and easy way to attach the line to your kite, which usually has a ring attached for this purpose. Gloves are another optional but recommended accessory, along with an anemometer to check wind speed.

And with any kite flying activity there are a few safety precautions to follow: Safe Kite Flying

Quite a variety of cameras can be used for Kite Aerial Photography. Lightweight point-and-shoot cameras are popular for KAP. Models and prices will vary but their compact size will work well for light wind days. SLR Cameras also work very well for KAP. A larger rig is required to accomodate the larger SLR cameras, and is usually controlled from the ground via a remote control transmitter (most often used for model RC airplanes). Eventually, you may also want to use a camera that can accept a variety of lenses such as a super wide angle lens, or a fisheye lens for special effects. A camera with a remote control sensor is a good choice as you will have multiple options available that will trigger the shutter. However, it is not impossible to build a rig with a mechanical trigger that actually presses the shutter button via a remote control.

Rigs, sometimes called cradles, can vary in size and complexity and can be built to accomodate a range of cameras. The simplest design is a basic box style that holds the camera in a set position, with the camera set to take photographs at pre-determined intervals. The photographer positions the camera's angle manually prior to flight. The camera can be triggered by it's own internal program, or the shutter is triggered by either a battery-powered infrared LED or an intervalometer positioned in front of the camera's remote control sensor. More sophisticated rigs can pan and tilt your camera, take photos on comand by radio-control, and also transmit a live view to the photographer on the ground via a video downlink. The style of rig you choose is determined by the camera you're going to use, and by the amount of time, effort, and money you want to invest. Rigs, kits, and supplies are available online through Kite Aerial Photography specialty stores.

A great place to start your KAP research is with Brooks Leffler: Brooxes.com.
Brooks has a variety of kits ready for purchase to create your own KAP rig! Brooxes KAP Kits

Another great site is KapShop.com for info, supplies, and kits.

James Gentles in the UK provides great KAP info and products: Gentles.info and Gentles.ltd.uk along with the very handy GentLED IR remote control!

Manfred at Kap-Man.de has assembled a very nice KAP site,
and provides a lot of great information to build your own KAP rig.

Complete KAP packages and fully assembled rigs with RC available at: CobraKite.com

More fun sites to visit:

Scott Haefner's Kite Aerial Photography is a must see - his photos are awesome! Scott also shares information about equipment and technique: ScottHaefner.com/kap

Another great KAP site: www.KAP.toadstone.com

Rob Huntley's site: RobHuntley.ca/Kite-Aerial-Photography

Visit MKary's site here: www.mkary.de

Visit Birdseye here: www.birdseye.be

View DuneHaven's KAP Photos.

Ben Peoples Project: Pittsburgh's Industrial History

Do you have a site that we should post here? Submit a comment below with your info!

Purchase a quality giclee print of the Old Mission in Santa Barbara, California.
Photographed using Kite Aerial Photography.

Visit PosterPatch.com for more info: Old Mission Santa Barbara Giclee Print

The American Kitefliers Association (AKA) - The AKA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public in the art, history, technology, and practice of building and flying kites. www.aka.kite.org

The Drachen Foundation is a non-profit corporation devoted to the increase and diffusion of knowledge about kites worldwide. www.drachen.org.

Drachenforum - die freundliche Community: www.drachenforum.net

DMOZ.org Directory of Kite Aerial Photography sites Kite Aerial Photography at DMOZ.org