Monthly Archives: Thursday January 29th, 2009

I am really doing it now! This fantastic relativistic way of viewing from above goes back far into the 19th century. Especially the French army used framed kites very early to take advantage from knowing where the others really hide. Here is a fine video from these times, when the large boxes were lifted as a chain into the heaven and – the picavet already existing – much heavyer cameras had to be lifted up for just a single shot.

Today, we use remote controls and video down-link to trigger the camera, steer it into position and observe the framing of the many pictures, one can shoot until the battery is flown empty. The sturdy heavy multi-kites have become single flow-forms, which unfold the moment you took it out of the storage bag. They are light, powerful and relatively stable. I have ordered a sutton-flowform and can’t wait for THE day.

The basics for my rigg are in place, lists written, orders placed, tools considered. All in all it should not get very heavy; maybe half a kg for the rigg, a small remote control and the flowform with a 500 m line on a modyfied fishing reel. Easy to transport even when travelling or skitouring. So, the next Gipfelphoto might come from above…