Kite Aerial Photography

Notes on Kite Aerial Photography: Background

Q&A No. 1
Questions from the Visiting Public

As one might expect, these WWW pages generate a fair number of questions from readers. I try to answer most of the e-mail but circumstances sometimes conspire against this goal. So, I thought I would post an accounting of the most frequently asked questions and my responses to same. The goal here is to provide a literal FAQ rather than the more elegant encapsulation of a topic often found on the internet.

Putting these pages together reminds me of a small Kite Aerial Photography FAQ put together by Anne Rock in 1993. Anne's generosity in doing this was instrumental in getting me started. I've recently posted a version of Anne's KAP FAQ at this site as a touchstone. Much has changed, much has remained the same.

The reader is cautioned that many of the answers contained herein represent the author's opinion and should be thus weighted.

	You describe a low-cost camera rig used for your son's science project, which used a "dethermalizing timer" to activate the camera. Do you know where I might be able to buy or order such a timer?
	I've purchased my timers from San Antonio Hobby on the SF peninsula (Burlingame?) and from Stanton Hobby in Chicago. My order from Stanton was handled over the phone - their address is on my catalog page. In general, you could try hobby shops that support model airplane enthusiasts. The KSB timer is a small, well-made mechanical timer. I believe they are no longer made. Expect to pay $25 to $32 if you can find one. The discussion page of this site is a good source for information on alternatives. Related KAP page: Low Cost Approaches

You describe a low-cost camera rig used for your son's science project, which used a "dethermalizing timer" to activate the camera. Do you know where I might be able to buy or order such a timer?

I've purchased my timers from San Antonio Hobby on the SF peninsula (Burlingame?) and from Stanton Hobby in Chicago. My order from Stanton was handled over the phone - their address is on my catalog page. In general, you could try hobby shops that support model airplane enthusiasts.

The KSB timer is a small, well-made mechanical timer. I believe they are no longer made. Expect to pay $25 to $32 if you can find one. The discussion page of this site is a good source for information on alternatives.

Related KAP page: Low Cost Approaches

	In particular, I wonder if you would share your technique for getting those wonderful drop shadows behind the graphics. I use Photoshop for almost everything, but I haven't seen shadows come across quite as smoothly as these.
	I produce the shadows with a Windows program - Painter 4.0 from Fractal Design. I have a sort of love-hate relationship with this software. It is quite capable in a number of interesting ways but also big and slow. It does the shadows with a single command once the item has been defined as an object. This version creates GIFs directly. STEP 1: I scan 4" x 6" prints with an HP IIcx flatbed scanner. These are saved as TIFs at 24-bit color depth and approximately 400 x 600 pixel resolution. I then convert them into the GIF and JPEG formats needed for the web pages. You typically need either a small GIF of the image or a small GIF / large JPG pair. STEP 2: To produce the inline GIFs I load the image into Painter 4.0. The first step to to Resize the image so that its longest dimension is 240 pixels (my standard). I then sharpen the small image slightly and check to see if the exposure needs adjustment. That done, I expand the image by five white pixels on each side to produce a white border. I copy the reduced image and drop onto a new blank "Netscape' grey background via cut and paste. Because such a transfer causes the image to be a 'floater' I can then caste a shadow from it onto the grey background. I then "drop the floater' and save the resulting image as a GIF. You can have GIFs in an interleaved format so that the image first arrives in coarse form and then resolves as opposed to slowly developing from the top down in full resolution. I use interleaving to speed the perception of image arrival. STEP 3: The next software stop is Lview Pro, a graphics utility program. I load my GIF from Painter 4.0 and use the background transparent option to designate its 'Netscape' grey background color as transparent. I then save the image in a GIF89a mode to enable the transparency. STEP 4: To create the larger JPG I first load the TIF image into the Ieditor program that is part of the Image Pals suite. Ieditor, a modest image editing program, first came to my attention because it could convert between a large number of graphic file types and then save very clean results. The first step is adjusting the image size in Ieditor using Image, Resample. My default is to set the longest dimension of the image to 472 pixels. This works well with small monitors and produces files in the 25 to 75KB range. I resize while the image is still a 24-bit color format (TIF) because you can then sharpen the image if necessary. Next, in Ieditor select Image, Convert and then select indexed 256-color (8-bit) as an image type. This leads to a dialog box where you should select optimized and diffusion if the entire image will be used. You can then save the smaller image in the GIF format. STEP 5: The final software stop is a return to Lview Pro, the graphics utility program. I load my larger GIF gif from Ieditor and then save the image as a JPG. This path has produced smaller file sizes for me than converting from GIF to JPG within Ieditor. There you are. Addendum (2/97) -- since moving to my new machine I realize that much of the process described above is specific to my old 486 / Windows 3.1 setup. For instance I now use Photoshop 4.0 instead of Ieditor for basic image manipulation. It is really dandy having more speed and memory. Addendum (9/01) -- Painter remains my graphic program of choice. I am now up to a 866 MHz Pentium III and Painter 5.5. The GIF transparency adjustment is now handled in FrontPage 2000, my WWW authoring environment.

In particular, I wonder if you would share your technique for getting those wonderful drop shadows behind the graphics. I use Photoshop for almost everything, but I haven't seen shadows come across quite as smoothly as these.

I produce the shadows with a Windows program - Painter 4.0 from Fractal Design. I have a sort of love-hate relationship with this software. It is quite capable in a number of interesting ways but also big and slow. It does the shadows with a single command once the item has been defined as an object. This version creates GIFs directly.

STEP 1: I scan 4" x 6" prints with an HP IIcx flatbed scanner. These are saved as TIFs at 24-bit color depth and approximately 400 x 600 pixel resolution. I then convert them into the GIF and JPEG formats needed for the web pages. You typically need either a small GIF of the image or a small GIF / large JPG pair.

STEP 2: To produce the inline GIFs I load the image into Painter 4.0. The first step to to Resize the image so that its longest dimension is 240 pixels (my standard). I then sharpen the small image slightly and check to see if the exposure needs adjustment. That done, I expand the image by five white pixels on each side to produce a white border. I copy the reduced image and drop onto a new blank "Netscape' grey background via cut and paste. Because such a transfer causes the image to be a 'floater' I can then caste a shadow from it onto the grey background. I then "drop the floater' and save the resulting image as a GIF. You can have GIFs in an interleaved format so that the image first arrives in coarse form and then resolves as opposed to slowly developing from the top down in full resolution. I use interleaving to speed the perception of image arrival.

STEP 3: The next software stop is Lview Pro, a graphics utility program. I load my GIF from Painter 4.0 and use the background transparent option to designate its 'Netscape' grey background color as transparent. I then save the image in a GIF89a mode to enable the transparency.

STEP 4: To create the larger JPG I first load the TIF image into the Ieditor program that is part of the Image Pals suite. Ieditor, a modest image editing program, first came to my attention because it could convert between a large number of graphic file types and then save very clean results. The first step is adjusting the image size in Ieditor using Image, Resample. My default is to set the longest dimension of the image to 472 pixels. This works well with small monitors and produces files in the 25 to 75KB range. I resize while the image is still a 24-bit color format (TIF) because you can then sharpen the image if necessary. Next, in Ieditor select Image, Convert and then select indexed 256-color (8-bit) as an image type. This leads to a dialog box where you should select optimized and diffusion if the entire image will be used. You can then save the smaller image in the GIF format.

STEP 5: The final software stop is a return to Lview Pro, the graphics utility program. I load my larger GIF gif from Ieditor and then save the image as a JPG. This path has produced smaller file sizes for me than converting from GIF to JPG within Ieditor.

There you are.

Addendum (2/97) -- since moving to my new machine I realize that much of the process described above is specific to my old 486 / Windows 3.1 setup. For instance I now use Photoshop 4.0 instead of Ieditor for basic image manipulation. It is really dandy having more speed and memory.

Addendum (9/01) -- Painter remains my graphic program of choice. I am now up to a 866 MHz Pentium III and Painter 5.5. The GIF transparency adjustment is now handled in FrontPage 2000, my WWW authoring environment.

	Have you experimented with digital cameras?
	I've previously used digital cameras on the ground (an earlier Canon with the 2" diskette and more recently the Kodak DC40) with fair results. In general, they have shared relatively slow shutter speeds (less than 1/150 sec.) and I thonk this would lead to motion-induced blur in the air. The Kodak is becoming more reasonable in price (around $650 and dropping so I may try it in the future. The Olympus D-300L digitial camera runs around $900 from discount sources. More recently (Dec. '96) one of my projects acquired an Olympus D-300L and I am very impressed with it. The size of a large point-and-shoot, it can store 30 1024x768 pixel images (or 120 512x384 pixel images). It also has an integrated LCD display, in the field deletion, and good color rendition. On the negative side it eats batteries at an alarming rate. The first and only digital KAP image I've seen. Larry Cotton took this image with a Epson PhotoPC digital camera suspended from a low-altitude kite at Emerald Isle, North Carolina. Cotton relates that Emerald Isle doesn't look anything like this photo now, thanks to Hurricane Fran (Summer 1996, 42K jpg). I have a bit of a dilemma here. On the positive side, the digital cameras are getting less expensive and more capable. I'm certain that the Olympus D-300L would take fine aerial images - certainly good enough for use on this WWW site. The medium is instantaneous so you could see results in the field and the cost of film and processing would be nil. On the other hand, I do not believe the digital images would provide a quality 8" x 10" enlargement. As I take KAP images I am looking for the rare combination of wind, light, subject, and composition that makes a really memorable image. I think it would be frustrating to capture that one-in-a-thousand image in digital form and not be able to make sharp, large images from it. I've got to think about this some more. Related KAP page: Cameras for Kite Aerial Photography Other Internet Resources: rec.photo.digital

Have you experimented with digital cameras?

I've previously used digital cameras on the ground (an earlier Canon with the 2" diskette and more recently the Kodak DC40) with fair results. In general, they have shared relatively slow shutter speeds (less than 1/150 sec.) and I thonk this would lead to motion-induced blur in the air. The Kodak is becoming more reasonable in price (around $650 and dropping so I may try it in the future.

The Olympus D-300L digitial camera runs around $900 from discount sources.

More recently (Dec. '96) one of my projects acquired an Olympus D-300L and I am very impressed with it. The size of a large point-and-shoot, it can store 30 1024x768 pixel images (or 120 512x384 pixel images). It also has an integrated LCD display, in the field deletion, and good color rendition. On the negative side it eats batteries at an alarming rate.

The first and only digital KAP image I've seen. Larry Cotton took this image with a Epson PhotoPC digital camera suspended from a low-altitude kite at Emerald Isle, North Carolina. Cotton relates that Emerald Isle doesn't look anything like this photo now, thanks to Hurricane Fran (Summer 1996, 42K jpg).

I have a bit of a dilemma here. On the positive side, the digital cameras are getting less expensive and more capable. I'm certain that the Olympus D-300L would take fine aerial images - certainly good enough for use on this WWW site. The medium is instantaneous so you could see results in the field and the cost of film and processing would be nil. On the other hand, I do not believe the digital images would provide a quality 8" x 10" enlargement. As I take KAP images I am looking for the rare combination of wind, light, subject, and composition that makes a really memorable image. I think it would be frustrating to capture that one-in-a-thousand image in digital form and not be able to make sharp, large images from it. I've got to think about this some more.

Related KAP page: Cameras for Kite Aerial Photography
Other Internet Resources: rec.photo.digital

	Saw your page while looking up kites on the net. Where did you get the Sutton Flowform?
	They come from: Air Affairs, 107 Chelsea Road, Hatboro, PA 19040 215-672-1470 Tell them I sent you. The Sutton Flowforms have become my work-a-day kites. I use them for over 90% of my KAP work. The Sutton 16 is shown. Related KAP page: Soft Kites for Lifting

	The lovely photographs on your pages all seem to be taken from a fairly low altitude, 200-300 feet or so. (Granted, I haven't yet viewed all the photos.) Have you ever tried higher altitudes, such as 1000-2000 feet? If not, is there some strong practical reason that prevents high-altitude shots?
	I guess I very rarely have the camera over two hundred feet above the earth and that most of my images are taken below 100 feet. I'm looking for what Craig Wilson terms the view of the birds and bees. As you get very high the images become more reminiscent of view from aircraft. My lowest KAP image was from 2 feet, my highest from around 400 feet up. There are a few practical considerations: 1) the FAA limits kites over five pounds - mine is less - to below 500' and airplanes to above 500', 2) the camera orientation is difficult to see as it becomes distant, and 3) it takes time to let that much line out and retrieve it. Still, I notice that I've been flying high on occasion and have enjoyed the images taken from greater heights. I've been inspired in part by the images of Michel Dusariez (see the KAPWA Newsletter pages) who seems to have a penchant for higher altitude shots. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues Federal Aviation Regulations governing the operation of aircraft in US airspace. Appended below are kite-related excerpts that are offered as examples only. For those flying kites at higher altitudes I recommend a direct review of the FAA language. This can be found at a number of WWW sites including http://www.flight.com/FARS. PART 101--MOORED BALLOONS, KITES, UNMANNED ROCKETS AND UNMANNED FREE BALLOONS Sec. 101.1 APPLICABILITY. (a) This part prescribes rules governing the operation in the United States, of the following: (1) Except as provided for in Sec. 101.7, any balloon that is moored to the surface of the earth or an object thereon and that has a diameter of more than 6 feet or a gas capacity of more than 115 cubic feet. (2) Except as provided for in Sec. 101.7, any kite that weighs more than 5 pounds and is intended to be flown at the end of a rope or cable. ........ Sec. 101.7 HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS (a) No person may operate any moored balloon, kite, unmanned rocket, or unmanned free balloon in a manner that creates a hazard to other persons, or their property. (b) No person operating any moored balloon, kite, unmanned rocket, or unmanned free balloon may allow an object to be dropped therefrom, if such action creates a hazard to other persons or their property. (Sec. 6(c), Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c)) [Doc. No. 12800, Amdt. 101-4, 39 FR 22252, June 21, 1974] (for kites that weigh more than 5 pounds:) Subpart B--MOORED BALLOONS AND KITES Source: Docket No. 1580, 28 FR 6722 June 29, 1963, unless otherwise noted. Sec. 101.11 APPLICABILITY This subpart applies to the operation of moored balloons and kites. However, a person operating a moored balloon or kite within a restricted area must comply only with Sec. 101.19 and with additional limitations imposed by the using or controlling agency, as appropriate. Sec. 101.13 OPERATING LIMITATIONS (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may operate a moored balloon or kite-- (1) Less than 500 feet from the base of any cloud; (2) More than 500 feet above the surface of the earth; (3) From an area where the ground visibility is less than three miles; or (4) Within five miles of the boundary of any airport. (b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to the operation of a balloon or kite below the top of any structure and within 250 feet of it, if that shielded operation does not obscure any lighting on the structure. Sec. 101.15 NOTICE REQUIREMENTS No person may operate an unshielded moored balloon or kite more than 150 feet above the surface of the earth unless, at least 24 hours before beginning the operation, he gives the following information to the FAA ATC facility that is nearest to the place of intended operation: (a) The names and addresses of the owners and operators. (b) The size of the balloon or the size and weight of the kite. (c) The location of the operation. (d) The height above the surface of the earth at which the balloon or kite is to be operated. (e) The date, time, and duration of the operation. Sec. 101.17 LIGHTING and MARKING REQUIREMENTS (a) No person may operate a moored balloon or kite, between sunset and sunrise unless the balloon or kite, and its mooring lines, are lighted so as to give a visual warning equal to that required for obstructions to air navigation in the FAA publication "Obstruction Marking and Lighting". (b) No person may operate a moored balloon or kite between sunrise and sunset unless its mooring lines have colored pennants or streamers attached at not more than 50 foot intervals beginning at 150 feet above the surface of the earth and visible for at least one mile. (Sec. 6(c), Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c))) [Doc. No. 1580, 28 FR 6722, June 29, 1963, as amended by Amdt. 101-4, 39 FR 22252, June 21, 1974]

The lovely photographs on your pages all seem to be taken from a fairly low altitude, 200-300 feet or so. (Granted, I haven't yet viewed *all* the photos.) Have you ever tried higher altitudes, such as 1000-2000 feet? If not, is there some strong practical reason that prevents high-altitude shots?

I guess I very rarely have the camera over two hundred feet above the earth and that most of my images are taken below 100 feet. I'm looking for what Craig Wilson terms the view of the birds and bees. As you get very high the images become more reminiscent of view from aircraft. My lowest KAP image was from 2 feet, my highest from around 400 feet up.

There are a few practical considerations: 1) the FAA limits kites over five pounds - mine is less - to below 500' and airplanes to above 500', 2) the camera orientation is difficult to see as it becomes distant, and 3) it takes time to let that much line out and retrieve it. Still, I notice that I've been flying high on occasion and have enjoyed the images taken from greater heights. I've been inspired in part by the images of Michel Dusariez (see the KAPWA Newsletter pages) who seems to have a penchant for higher altitude shots.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues Federal Aviation Regulations governing the operation of aircraft in US airspace. Appended below are kite-related excerpts that are offered as examples only. For those flying kites at higher altitudes I recommend a direct review of the FAA language. This can be found at a number of WWW sites including http://www.flight.com/FARS.

PART 101--MOORED BALLOONS, KITES, UNMANNED ROCKETS AND UNMANNED FREE BALLOONS

Sec. 101.1 APPLICABILITY.

(a) This part prescribes rules governing the operation in the United States, of the following:

(1) Except as provided for in Sec. 101.7, any balloon that is moored to the surface of the earth or an object thereon and that has a diameter of more than 6 feet or a gas capacity of more than 115 cubic feet.

(2) Except as provided for in Sec. 101.7, any kite that weighs more than 5 pounds and is intended to be flown at the end of a rope or cable.

........

Sec. 101.7 HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS

(a) No person may operate any moored balloon, kite, unmanned rocket, or unmanned free balloon in a manner that creates a hazard to other persons, or their property.

(b) No person operating any moored balloon, kite, unmanned rocket, or unmanned free balloon may allow an object to be dropped therefrom, if such action creates a hazard to other persons or their property.

(Sec. 6(c), Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c))
[Doc. No. 12800, Amdt. 101-4, 39 FR 22252, June 21, 1974]

(for kites that weigh more than 5 pounds:)

Subpart B--MOORED BALLOONS AND KITES

Source: Docket No. 1580, 28 FR 6722 June 29, 1963, unless otherwise noted.

Sec. 101.11 APPLICABILITY

This subpart applies to the operation of moored balloons and kites. However, a person operating a moored balloon or kite within a restricted area must comply only with Sec. 101.19 and with additional limitations imposed by the using or controlling agency, as appropriate.

Sec. 101.13 OPERATING LIMITATIONS

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may operate a moored balloon or kite--

(1) Less than 500 feet from the base of any cloud;
(2) More than 500 feet above the surface of the earth;
(3) From an area where the ground visibility is less than three miles; or
(4) Within five miles of the boundary of any airport.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not apply to the operation of a balloon or kite below the top of any structure and within 250 feet of it, if that shielded operation does not obscure any lighting on the structure.

Sec. 101.15 NOTICE REQUIREMENTS

No person may operate an unshielded moored balloon or kite more than 150 feet above the surface of the earth unless, at least 24 hours before beginning the operation, he gives the following information to the FAA ATC facility that is nearest to the place of intended operation:

(a) The names and addresses of the owners and operators.
(b) The size of the balloon or the size and weight of the kite.
(c) The location of the operation.
(d) The height above the surface of the earth at which the balloon or kite is to be operated.
(e) The date, time, and duration of the operation.

Sec. 101.17 LIGHTING and MARKING REQUIREMENTS

(a) No person may operate a moored balloon or kite, between sunset and sunrise unless the balloon or kite, and its mooring lines, are lighted so as to give a visual warning equal to that required for obstructions to air navigation in the FAA publication "Obstruction Marking and Lighting".

(b) No person may operate a moored balloon or kite between sunrise and sunset unless its mooring lines have colored pennants or streamers attached at not more than 50 foot intervals beginning at 150 feet above the surface of the earth and visible for at least one mile.

(Sec. 6(c), Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c)))
[Doc. No. 1580, 28 FR 6722, June 29, 1963, as amended by Amdt. 101-4, 39 FR 22252, June 21, 1974]

Comments to author: crisp@socrates.berkeley.edu . All content, graphics and
images contained throughout are Copyright (C) 1995 - 2005 by Charles C. Benton
and are protected by United States and International copyright laws.
No text, graphic or image may be used whole or in part, individually,
or as part of a derivative work without express written permission.

URL: http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/background/q&a1.html

Q&A No. 1 Questions from the Visiting Public

Q&A No. 1
Questions from the Visiting Public