Public Lab Wiki documentation



Kite making

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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)


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

Purpose Category Status Author Time Difficulty Replications
Building miniature kites at a family science night build - @SuziT9 - - 0 replications: Try it »
Prototyping a kite for kids build - @oscarbrett 3h easy 0 replications: Try it »
call it Delta, maybe build - @astoicof 1h easy 0 replications: Try it »
Make a simple mylar/trash bag delta kite - - @warren 1h easy 0 replications: Try it »
splitting bamboo for kites build - @mathew 1h easy 0 replications: Try it »
easy cut delta kite plans build - @mathew 3h easy 0 replications: Try it »
Repairing a kite's stick with a fiber glass safety marker - - @pablo - - 0 replications: Try it »
Kite Construction: How bad can it get? - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Stormy O. Weathers' Horned Allison- towards a kite wind speed meter - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Easy Kites for Kite Trains build - @mathew - easy 0 replications: Try it »
Tyvek Fleds, Theoretical & Actual Performance - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »
Towards a Tyvek & Bamboo Delta Kit - - @mathew - - 0 replications: Try it »

Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.


Questions



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 this page to help complete it!


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 to be listed above:

Title Author Updated Likes Comments
Is it possible to have a digital copy of the step-by-step instructions? @SuziT9 almost 6 years ago 2
Building miniature kites at a family science night @SuziT9 about 6 years ago 5
What are materials we could include in a Kite Making Materials Pack? @warren about 6 years ago 5
What is the easiest and cheapest way to make a kite big enough to carry a camera? @warren over 6 years ago 1
kite for aerial photography @Juanjo over 6 years ago 3
Kite Construction: How bad can it get? @mathew almost 8 years ago 0
Stormy O. Weathers' Horned Allison- towards a kite wind speed meter @mathew almost 8 years ago 0
Inspirational deltas @mathew about 11 years ago 0
Easy Cut Delta Kite simplification @danbeavers about 11 years ago 2
Repairing a kite's stick with a fiber glass safety marker @pablo about 11 years ago 2
call it Delta, maybe @astoicof over 11 years ago 2
Diamond kite bridles @lfamular over 11 years ago 0
DIY Light Delta kite (Rogallo wing) @Safidy over 11 years ago 2
Prototyping a kite for kids @oscarbrett over 11 years ago 2
easy cut delta kite plans @mathew about 11 years ago 4
Towards a standard diamond kite kit @lfamular over 11 years ago 1
Make a simple mylar/trash bag delta kite @warren over 11 years ago 3
Tyvek+Bamboo Kite Workshop at Pfizer Building (Brooklyn, NY 6/29-30/2012)) @elainechoi89 almost 11 years ago 1
Easy Kites for Kite Trains @mathew over 11 years ago 0
Lima, Peru: Kite Making/Ballon Mapping Workshop, U. of San Marcos @anita almost 12 years ago 7
Towards a Tyvek & Bamboo Delta Kit @mathew over 11 years ago 0
Tyvek Fleds, Theoretical & Actual Performance @mathew over 11 years ago 0
Tyvek Fleds, Theoretical & Actual Performance @mathew over 12 years ago 1
splitting bamboo for kites @mathew over 11 years ago 1