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))

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### 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!

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## Activities

[activities:kite-making]


<a href="/post?tags=activity:kite-making,kite-making,seeks:replications&title=How%20to%20do%20X" class="btn btn-primary">Add an activity</a> <a href="/post?tags=question:kite-making,request:activity&template=question&title=How%20do%20I...&redirect=question" class="btn btn-primary">Request an activity guide</a>

_Guides should include a materials list and a step-by-step construction guide with photo documentation. Learn what [makes a good activity here](https://publiclab.org/notes/warren/09-17-2016/what-makes-a-good-activity)._

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## Questions

<a class="btn btn-primary" href="/post?tags=question:kite-making&template=question">Ask a question about kite making</a>

[notes:question:kite-making]

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### 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]

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## 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]