Photo Page
First Aerial Photos
The thumbnails below show the first kite aerial photos taken using the PV2 KAP rig described in the preceding pages of this site. These photos were taken on December 21, 2005. They were downloaded and converted to jpg's using PV2Fetch software which is available via links provided at the Camerahacking Forum. I used photo editing software to enhance the greens, reduce the image size and increase the sharpness and contrast a touch. The resolution of the PV2 camera is about 1.1 megapix.
Photos of the PV2 Kite Rig - Initial Launch
Click on the thumbnails below to see photos of the first launch of the PV2 kite rig taken from the ground. These pictures were taken on December 21, 2005 with a Canon A70 (3.2 maga pixel) digital camera. The pictures were taken from a Gulf Coast beach looking toward land.
The conditions were so windy that the kite practically launched itself. The kite pulled so strongly that I struggled to create some slack in the string in order to attach the hang-ups once the kite was about 50 feet in the air.
The conditions were so windy that the kite practically launched itself. The kite pulled so strongly that I struggled to create some slack in the string in order to attach the hang-ups once the kite was about 50 feet in the air.
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Sutton Flowform 8 Kite
PV2 Kite Rig 2
PV2 Kite Rig
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First PV2 Kite Aerial Photos
2nd PV2 Kite Launch - Disaster Strikes
The second launch of the PV2 Kite rig occurred on February 11, 2006. Whereas the first PV2 kite launch was at a windy and mostly deserted beach, I wanted the second launch to show aerial views of a more built-up area that would include buildings and houses of various sizes. There were too many people on the life guarded portion of the beach I chose to launch the PV2 rig so I attempted to launch it from the more secluded unguarded section of beach that backs up to line of high rise condos - bad idea.
With only a light breeze blowing it was difficult to launch the kite even before the PV2 rig was attached. The wind, what there was of it, was blowing toward the land so the kite was heading for the condos and the angle of the kite was very low, about 30 degrees. I was hoping I could keep the kite between two condo buildings and get it high enough to photograph the town that lies behind the condos. At first this seemed to work, albeit slowly. Then suddenly the breeze died down and the kite and camera began to sink rapidly. I tried to reel it in, but it was too late. The camera crashed on a sand dune in front of a condo and the kite landed somewhere behind the condo and could not be seen from the beach. I picked up the camera, which was undamaged, and went to look for the kite. The kite landed in a parking lot in front of the condo. The kite string snagged in a tall palm tree planted at the corner of the condo and snagged again on the front of the condo building. Thankfully I found the kite lying on the ground. To rescue it I just needed to cut it free from the portion of the string that was snagged on the palm tree and the condo. Click on the thumbnails below to see how this saga unfolds. The photo titled "Going Down --Fast" shows the palm tree in the foreground that would later snag my kite string.
With only a light breeze blowing it was difficult to launch the kite even before the PV2 rig was attached. The wind, what there was of it, was blowing toward the land so the kite was heading for the condos and the angle of the kite was very low, about 30 degrees. I was hoping I could keep the kite between two condo buildings and get it high enough to photograph the town that lies behind the condos. At first this seemed to work, albeit slowly. Then suddenly the breeze died down and the kite and camera began to sink rapidly. I tried to reel it in, but it was too late. The camera crashed on a sand dune in front of a condo and the kite landed somewhere behind the condo and could not be seen from the beach. I picked up the camera, which was undamaged, and went to look for the kite. The kite landed in a parking lot in front of the condo. The kite string snagged in a tall palm tree planted at the corner of the condo and snagged again on the front of the condo building. Thankfully I found the kite lying on the ground. To rescue it I just needed to cut it free from the portion of the string that was snagged on the palm tree and the condo. Click on the thumbnails below to see how this saga unfolds. The photo titled "Going Down --Fast" shows the palm tree in the foreground that would later snag my kite string.
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We Have Liftoff
Going Up
As Good as it Gets
Going Down -- Fast
Crash !!!
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