If you can't get balloons, helium, or if it's just too windy (more than about 5mph or 10kph wind) for #balloon-mapping, consider lifting a camera up on a kite. Kites are cheap and available through most of the world, and they're easy to build if you can't find one big enough. (lead image by @elainechoi89 [here](/n/2715)) **** ### Advantages You can make a really big kite for just a few dollars in materials -- anywhere in the world! You don't need to buy or waste helium, and kite makers are everywhere -- kids are especially good at it. It's a fun activity, and flying kites over and over is free, unlike using balloons! ### Limitations Most kites need at least 5-10mph (10-15kph) wind, unless you use a design for very light winds -- and most need a bit more to carry a 200g camera very high. Kites that are very efficiently designed can fly at a high angle -- more vertically. But if yours has lots of drag, it may fly at a lower angle -- more diagonally from the ground. You need wind. ### Design constraints Kites can be designed for many purposes, but some things to balance are: * cost and local availability of materials * time/complexity of construction * portability when not flying (does it fit in a car? a plane?) * light-wind flying qualities * heavy-wind flying qualities * overall size and lifting ability ### Where do conversations happen The **grassrootsmapping** list -- subscribe in the left-side column! **** ## Activities [activities:kite-making] **** ## Questions [questions:kite-making] **** ### About the data * What types of data does the method produce (visual, numeric, graphs, charts) * How to access the data, where is it kept, maintained, accessed, who can get it * How does the data compare to other commercial methods or governmentally recognized methods? [edit] **** ## Updates on kite making Lots has been published on this site about kite making over the years; some of this may be [adaptable into activities](/notes/liz/08-30-2016/check-out-these-activity-grids) to be listed above: [notes:kite-making] ...