Aerial Imaging

The use of kites and balloons presents a simple and low-cost method to obtain high-resolution aerial pictures. The basic equipment consists of a lifting device (kite or balloon), line and spool, camera suspension and camera. The wind condition dictates which lifting device is utilized. In calm or very low wind conditions, the use of kites is difficult. Kite Aerial Photography (KAP) is conducted with soft parafoil kites for wind ranges of about 7-11 m/s. For lower wind speeds (4-7 m/s) large rigid kites can be flown.

For Balloon Aerial Photography (BAP) we employ heavy duty weather balloons filled with helium. For both KAP and BAP, camera suspension consists of a T-shaped pendulum that is directly attached to the kite line. Pictures are taken with different light-weight digital cameras.

In 2007, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was derived from aerial photos taken from a balloon.

In 2007, a motorized paraglider was used for the first time as a platform for small-format aerial photography. This 'drone' is propelled by a two-stroke engine and is remotely controlled from the ground. Unlike aerial photography with balloons or kites, a high degree of control over the position is possible with the drone. We obtained maximum flight times of one hour and an altitude of up to 300m above the ground surface. With a weight of approx.15kg, the paraglider can be launched from any flat surface, making it a unique tool for remote areas.

Using an automatically triggered digital camera, an area of more than 0.5km² could be completely covered with aerial photos in a single flight mission. This allowed us to monitor rapid changes of the surface cover, such as snowmelt, over large areas.

For further information: Sebastian Westermann, Moritz Langer