Kite applications

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The kite is used to do certain things; one kite or many kites are applied to achieve certain purposes, objectives, or tasks, that is: applications. Humans have applied the kite to bring perceived benefits during peace and war alike. New applications for the kite continue to be found. Only some innovative applications appear in national patents; others are communicated in newspapers, magazines, books, and internet pages. Air kites, water kites, bi-media kites, fluid kites, gas kites, kytoons, paravanes, soil kites, solid kites, and plasma kites have niche applications that are furthering the interests of humans. Non-human-made kites have applications; some spiders make use of kiting.

Chinese dragon kite more than one hundred feet long which flew in the annual Berkeley, California, kite festival in 2000. It is a kite-train of hundreds of linked circles (with outriggers ending in feathers for balance). The dragon's head is a bamboo frame with painted silk covering. Application: entertainment, recreation, event promotion, city or institution promotion.

A quad-line traction kite, commonly used as a power source for kite surfing. Application: sport, recreation, exercise, rest, product demonstration.

[edit] Kites for transportation

George Pocock's contribution being illustrated.	Painting of kite tugging wheeled vehicle.	Modern kite buggying.	Getting around in a kite buggy.
Transport people up into the sky with man-lifting kites for observation, entertainment, photography, recreation.	Man-lifter kite designed by Samuel Franklin Cody (1867-1913). As war kite observation of enemy, raising antenna.

Long-distance travel across land ^[1], ice, and sea started centuries ago, but today significant tasks of moving people and goods from point A to point B are occurring; this is so in great part from the advances in kites and kite systems designs and technology, better understanding of winds, and use of computers and GPS. In 1889 kite sailing was carefully instructed via controlling large kite systems towing boats: Aerial Apparatus

Free-flight cross-country hang gliding kites both in the hang glider style and the paraglider style are permitting trips of hundreds of miles; records are recorded by the FAI. George Pocock (inventor) was an early pioneer in kites for transportation. NASA continues to explore free-flying kites for delivering goods to earth surface and non-earth planet surfaces, including Mars.^[2] The severe projects for using very large kites to sail cargo ships is currently underway; KiteSail(tm) and KiteShip (tm) along with a series of patents and improvements in control of large ship-carried kite systems aim to save significant fuel. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} Kiting one's kayak is getting a significant followingA. Kinsman kite kayaking tutorial..

[edit] Kite Aerial Photography (KAP)

Main article: Kite aerial photography

William Abner Eddy patented a kite. He used kites for aerial phtography (KAP).

US646375 Willian A. Eddy kite patent image.

Photo of the ruins of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake by George Lawrence of Chicago. Photographed using a kite system to loft a panoramic camera.

William A. Eddy of Eddy-kite fame lifted cameras to take photographs of cities and landscapes. Today KAP is the hobby of many enthusiasts, is a tool for surveying land and animals, and a mode for artistic expression. Professor Charles Benton illustrates how KAP can grow in one's life. Scott Haefner has one of the most extensive collection of KAP phtographs; he shares his technology. San Francisco. Those who do KAP are called kapers KAP.

[edit] Kites for teaching schooling subjects

The kite is frequently the vehicle for teaching aerodynamics, mathematics, art, history, culture, materials, cooperation, physical education, and problem solving. ^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]}

[edit] Kites as a retail item for profit

250pxKite shop.

Kite shops around the world sell kites and kite supplies for profit. Toy stores offer kites. Toy sections of general merchandise stores seasonally present kites. Kite product online stores are in the hundreds. Booths at some kite festivals offer a wide variety of kites. The shop managers buy and sell at the retail level; they sometimes also carry some wholesale accounts. They use kites to decorate their shops; they often sponsor activities where their kites are flown to attract more business to their shops. The Kite Trade Association International (KTAI) founded in 1983 has a strong leadership over the kite commerce. About KTAI

[edit] Kites as subject of publications

International organizations, national organizations, local kite clubs, kite shops, and individuals have kite and kiting as the focus of their publications. Subscribership and buyer levels vary. Kite pamphlets and books out-of-print become prized collectors' items.

[edit] Large kites being applied over the oceans

The German company SkySails has developed ship-pulling kites as a supplemental power source for cargo ships, first tested in January 2008 ^[14] on the ship MS Beluga Skysails. Trials on this 55m ship have shown that, in favorable winds, the kite increases fuel-efficiency by up to 30%. This system is planned to be in full commercial production late 2008. ^[15] Kites are also available as an auxiliary sail or emergency spinnaker for sailing boats. Self-launching Parafoil kites are attached to the mast.

MS Beluga Skysails is the world's first commercial container cargo ship which is partially powered by a giant computer-controlled kite (160sq. m. or 1,722 sq ft.). The kite could reduce fuel consumption by 20%. It was launched 17 December 2007 and is set to leave the northern German port of Bremerhaven to Guanta, Venezuela at 1700 local time (1600 GMT), January 22, 2008. Stephan Wrage, managing director of SkySails GmbH announced: "During the next few months we will finally be able to prove that our technology works in practice and significantly reduces fuel consumption and emissions." Verena Frank, project manager at Beluga Shipping GmbH, SkySails GmbH's partner further stated that "the project's core concept was using wind energy as auxiliary propulsion power and using wind as a free of charge energy".^[16] Kite yachting may have started with Benjamin Franklin's pond pull.^[17] English Channel crossing.

[edit] Scientific kiting

Kites have also been used for scientific purposes, such as Benjamin Franklin's famous (but dangerous) experiment proving that lightning is electricity. Kites had an historical role in lifting scientific instruments to measure atmospheric conditions for weather forecasting.

[edit] Kites used to test designs meant to become powered aircraft

Wright kite with aim to get a powered aircraft.

Early quad-line steerable kite by Wright Brothers as they aim for powered flight.

Kites were the precursors to aircraft, and were instrumental in the development of early flying craft. Alexander Graham Bell experimented with very large man-lifting kites, as did the Wright brothers and Lawrence Hargrave.

Conductor carried up by a kite in the sky can lead to a high voltage shock, which can endanger people and equipment.

[edit] Kites for extreme sports

Kite boarding, kite surfing, kite buggying, kite buggy jumping, kite landboarding, freestyle kite landboarding, snow kiting or snowkiting, downhill speed kiting, hang gliding, and kite high jumping are among the extreme kite sports wherein competitions are held.

[edit] Kites for competitive stunt-kiting sport

Peter Powell's emphatic forwarding of two-line stunt kites or sport kites help to move stunt kiting into a popular activity as well as a competitive sport. Also, the parafoil stunt kites feed the same sporting activity. Events for kites of more than two control lines are very evident. The four-line Revolution kite has been setting new standards in precision flying. Informal field competition and formal sport competition support a stunt-kite industry; seemingly endless refinements to the kite wing and kite line along with accessories continue unabated. ^{[18] [19]}

[edit] Kites for sport kite fighting

A kite has two essential parts: wing and tether line. In kite fighting, the kite line plays a huge part in the activity. Sport kite fighting is perhaps 2000 year old; participation worldwide is high. ^[20] North American Kite Fighter Association (NAFKA) Trawl-board and paravane innovator

In Kite Fishing by the Salt-Water Natives of Mala or Malaita Island, British Solomon Islands T. W. Edge-Partington, leaf kites are described. The sago palm or ivory nut tree has leaves from which natives of Mala or Malaita Island made kites for fishing. ^[21][22]

[edit] Kites for advertising messages and logos

Kites can also be used as light-effect carrier, e.g., by carrying light-sticks or battery-powered light effects. Promotional kites: Companies buy large quantities of kites that feature their advertisement. Messages are sometimes displayed by lighting systems that are built into the kite system.

[edit] Kites for entertainment

Swarm of kites for sale in Lahore on the eve of the Basant Festival, held every year in Lahore, Pakistan.	Kite festival, Kanagawa, Japan. May Kite festival, first attempt to fly 40' x 40' handmade kite. On the Sagami River. Teaming at a festival.	Kite festival in Heiligenhaus, Germany, 15./16. Sep. 2007 Source: self-made Date: created 16. Sep 2007 Author: Frank Vincentz	Bali Kite Festival (Padang Galak Beach)
Professional kite flyer and aerial ballet master Ray Bethell performing at the Berkeley Kite Festival. This photo shows Ray flying three stunt kites simultaneously.	Kite festival at La Tremblade beach, Charente-Maritime (17), France. Festival de cerfs-volants sur la plage de la Tremblade en 2001.

Frequently kites are used to entertain observers ^[23] Some kiters get entertain themselves, but others enjoy entertaining the public or members of an organized gathering. This sector of application is part of recreational uses, but sometimes part of commercial uses.

[edit] Kites for commercial fishing

Water kite

Net-spreading underwater kites and kite vanes aid the control of large fishing nets. Remotely-controllable paravane Robert A. Kirby et al

[edit] Kites for recreational, sport, and subsistence fishing

Tow-line depressing water kite

Water kite for fishing

Water kite (paravane) as lure for fishing.

There are several ways kites are used in recreatonal and sport fishing. Lofting drop lines is one, but things don't stop there. Net-spreading underwater kites, soil kites (kiting achors), kiting bait, control-kite trolling of bait, recreational kiting during fishing sessions, aerial photography of fishing environment using kites, and out and back cycles of trolling bait using a kite. Recreational fishing, commercial fishing, and scientific and military uses of depressors of tow lines use water kiting to accomplish the effects wanted. The Use of Kites for Fishing—George Webster wrote comprehensively on kite fishing. Jetty/Pier Fishing.; _ Paravanes for Sportfishing. A plan view of a Solomon islander's leaf fishing kite is shown in a photograph held by the Pitt-Rivers Museum is viewable at Natural History Magazine online; Pick from the Past, Natural History, April 1957: "Go Fly a Kite". ^[24]

[edit] Kites used to decorate homes and businesses

Train station decrorates waiting platform.

Roloplan and stuffed animals in the museum of Margarete Steiff company. Giengen Germany.

Kites stilled are hung decoratively in rooms of homes and businesses to set the tone of a home or selling environment.^[25]

[edit] Kites used to sell kites

Many kite stores fly kites regularly so that people will see the kites; one of the final purposes is for the store to profit from the flying of the kites.^[26]

[edit] Kites used for generating electricity from rotation

Kite lofts wind-driven rotating wings

More rotation.

Both air and hydro kites are used to generate electricity; the kite is set in the stream of air or water; various schemes are used to extract some of the stream's energy for converting that energy to electricity.

A major research and development project called Makani Power, based in California and funded by Google.org, is investigating the use of kites in harnessing high altitude wind currents to generate electricity^[27].

Video links for generating electricity by using kites:

• Back and forth taking kite generates electricity: [3].
• KiteGen (kite wind generator): a Magnus-effect rotating kite electricity generation system: Magen kite Electricity Generator;

[edit] Recreational kiting

Resting during recreational kiting.	Recreationally meeting the challenge of designing something attractive, fun, interesting: hobby designer Frank Vincentz.	Frank Vincentz plays soccer in the sky for fun.	Winter playing on the ice.
Massive group kite fun on a windy day at Kitefestival 2005 in Fanoe, Denmark.

Hobby

Group festivities

Art

Meditation

Sport

[edit] Military applications

Kites have been used for military uses in the past for signaling, for delivery of munitions, for free-flight kiting payloads from aircraft to ground positions, for kiting troops to points where they could parachute to destinations, for underwater kiting via paravanes to perform various underwater duties, for lifting payloads from one point to another, for raising rescue signals from rafts or stressed areas, for raising communications antenna, and for observation by lifting an observer above the field of battle, and by using kite aerial photography. Barrage kites have been used in both open frame kites and kytoon types to defense against enemy aircraft.

Barrage ballon.(kytoon).

Kim Yu-Sin (or Kim Yushin), a Korean general, in 637 C.E. rallied his troops to defeat rebels by kite lofting a burning ball.^[28] Kites were also used by Admiral Yi of the Joseon (1392-1910) Dynasty of Korea.^{[citation needed]} During the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598), Admiral Yi commanded his navy with kites. His kites had specific markings directing his fleet to perform his order. Admiral Yi was said to have over 300 such kites.^{[citation needed]} The war eventually resulted in a Chinese and Korean victory; the kites played a minor role in the war's conclusion.

In more modern times the British navy also used kites to haul human lookouts high into the air to see over the horizon and possibly the enemy ships, for example with the kite developed by Samuel Franklin Cody.^[29] Barrage kites were used to protect London as well as the Pacific coast of the United States during the last century.^[30][31] Kites and kytoons were used for lofting communications antenna.^[32] Submarines lofted observers in rotary kites.^[33] The Rogallo parawing kite^[34] and the Jalbert parafoil kite were used for governable parachutes (free-flying kites) to deliver troops and supplies.^[35]

[edit] Science and meteorology

Lighter-than-water kite as tailing buoy

Kites have been used for scientific purposes, such as Benjamin Franklin's famous experiment proving that lightning is electricity. Kites were the precursors to aircraft, and were instrumental in the development of early flying craft. Alexander Graham Bell experimented with very large man-lifting kites, as did the Wright brothers and Lawrence Hargrave. Kites had an historical role in lifting scientific instruments to measure atmospheric conditions for weather forecasting. The Weather Doctor Almanac.

Collecting kited spiders with kited nets: Kites are used to take samples of upper air and to collect things found in the upper air. The spiders that kite to disperse (so-called ballooning (spider)s) have been found in nets raised to upper air for collecting ^[36]; the method is noted carefully in Spider Ballooning: Development and Evaluation of Field Trapping Methods (Araneae) ^[37] Balloon kite of the so-called ballooning spiderlings; the spiders' kite is not a balloon.

[edit] Radio aerials and light beacons

Kites can be used for radio purposes, by kites carrying antennas for MF, LF or VLF-transmitters. This method was used for the reception station of the first transatlantic transmission by Marconi. Captive balloons may be more convenient for such experiments, because kite carried antennas require a lot of wind, which may be not always possible with heavy equipment and a ground conductor. It must be taken into account during experiments, that a conductor carried by a kite can lead to a high voltage toward ground, which can endanger people and equipment, if suitable precautions (grounding through resistors or a parallel resonant-circuit tuned to transmission frequency) are not taken.

Antenna raising in 1915. The kite balloon ship HMS CANNING anchored off Salonika with kite balloon aloft, November 1915.

Kytoon equipped ship. US Navy photo. A kite balloon has been deployed from the USS Arizona. The kite balloon has a two man crew.

Kites can also be used for radio technical purposes, either by kites carrying antennas or by using a kite, which carries up an antenna wire (for MF, LF or VLF-transmitters). This was done in the past, for the reception station of the first transatlantic transmission by Marconi. Captive balloons may be more convenient for such experiments, because kite carried antennas require a lot of wind, which may be not always possible with heavy equipment and a ground conductor.

Kites for Lifting Antennas

Kites can be used to carry light effects such as lightsticks or battery powered lights.

[edit] Kite traction

Kites can be used to pull people and vehicles downwind. Efficient foil-type kites such as power kites can also be used to sail upwind under the same principles as used by other sailing craft, provided that lateral forces on the ground or in the water are redirected as with the keels, center boards, wheels and ice blades of traditional sailing craft. In the last two decades several kite sailing sports have become popular, such as kite buggying and kite surfing.

Kite sailing opens several possibilities not available in traditional sailing:

• Wind speeds are greater at higher altitudes
• Kites may be manoeuvered dynamically which increases the force available dramatically
• There is no need for mechanical structures to withstand bending forces; vehicles or hulls can be very light or dispensed with all together

The German company SkySails has developed ship-pulling kites as a supplemental power source for cargo ships, first tested in January 2008 on the ship MS Beluga Skysails.^[38] Trials on this 55m ship have shown that, in favorable winds, the kite reduces fuel consumption by up to 30%. This system is planned to be in full commercial production late http://www.google.com/patents?id=pmVaAAAAEBAJ&dq=3326392 2008. ^[39] Kites are available as an auxiliary sail or emergency spinnaker for sailing boats. Self-launching Parafoil kites are attached to the mast.^{[citation needed]}

MS Beluga Skysails is the world's first commercial container cargo ship partially powered by a giant computer-controlled kite (160sq. m. or 1,722 sq ft.). The kite could reduce fuel consumption by 20%. It was launched on 17 December 2007 and was set to leave the northern German port of Bremerhaven to Guanta, Venezuela on January 22, 2008. Stephan Wrage, managing director of SkySails GmbH announced: "During the next few months we will finally be able to prove that our technology works in practice and significantly reduces fuel consumption and emissions." Verena Frank, project manager at Beluga Shipping GmbH, SkySails GmbH's partner further stated that "the project's core concept was using wind energy as auxiliary propulsion power and using wind as a free of charge energy".^[40]

[edit] Industrial

Lifting tree logs from logging fields:KITE LOGGING W. H. ROCK

[edit] Power generation

A conceptual research and development project by Makani Power, based in California and funded by Google, is investigating the use of kites in harnessing high altitude wind currents to generate electricity.^[41] Magenn Power's Floating Wind Generators Nearing Deployment

[edit] Non-man-made kite applications

Leaf tethered in breeze by spider web.

There are natural kites that play a part in shaping what happens on earth. Some leaves kite to relieve wind pressures, pump fluids, and to disconnect annually to fertilize the soils. Poet Pablo Rosenblueth expressed his understanding that children see leaves as kites. Poet Marvin Bell recognized leaves are kites in his Nightworks: Poems 1962-2000. The leaf wafts kitingly in the wind held by the tethered leaf stem; when it is fall time, the leaf stem has a de-mooring disconnect process; the wind then easily interracts with the leaf to cause it to fly off the trees and into a gliding fall to the ground ^[42]. There is a following of kite makers that bridle leaves to fly them again as kites ^{[43] [44] [45]}.

Billions of spiders use kiting to travel or disperse (see balloon kite of spider in kite types (which is not a balloon); others use kiting to build bridge lines for their webs. Spiders hanging in the moving air on their silks are deflected to various points where they make anchor points for their web building. ^{[46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51]}. ^{[52] [53] [54]}. Carol Frost, biology researcher of the University of Alberta, Canada, observed kiting in spiderlings^[55].

[edit] See also

• Kite
• Kite mooring
• Kite types
• Kite line
• Kite books
• Ballooning (spider)
• Power kite
• Snowkiting
• Ice Kiting
• Kitesurfing
• Landsailing
• Wakeboarding
• Foilboard
• Sit-down hydrofoil
• Kayak kiting

[edit] External links

• Uses of Kites
• Kite Games and Competitions
• FAA Regulations for Kites/Balloons FAR Part 101
• Ultralight aircraft. FAR Part 103 Some manned kite systems are ultralights under FAR Part 103.

[edit] References