March 19, 2024
Specialist Services Kite Aerial Photo Important Information
  • All sites are risk assessed before a commission is accepted.
  • The legal height for flying kites in the UK is 60m but within 5km of an airfield this reduces to 30m. The camera is suspended below the kite so does not reach this height.
  • Our current pole is just under 8m which can give us a camera height of up to 10m.
  • These height restrictions limit the field of view but multiple images can be stitched together.
  • Sites near power lines can be unsuitable for both pole and kite aerial photography. Trees and buildings can cause turbulent air making kite flying difficult. Wind direction on a particular day can make the difference between being able to operate on a site or not.
  • Flying in crowded areas can be difficult. Flying near traffic could be dangerous. Kites used are generally very quiet and climb quickly therefore causing minimal disruption to wildlife and farm animals.
  • Wind in the range of 3-30mph is required for kite flying.
  • Wind and lighting conditions vary and it may be necessary to spend several hours on site until the conditions are ideal. We only however charge for the time we are photographing.
  • One hour flying will produce as many as 1000 images.
  • Our lightweight kite and pole equipment allows us to access and photograph the most remote sites without the need for vehicle access.

When commissioning aerial photographs the effect of different lighting conditions should be considered. With photographs taken on an overcast day with flat lighting all the detail within the building is visible. Similar lighting can occur on a bright summers day with the sun directly overhead. Photographs taken on a bright day with strong low level light will have strong contrast. This is typical of the lighting seen on a sunny winter's day when the sun is at a very shallow angle. This lighting is good for showing up slight earthworks but can obscure other details such as the insides of buildings and standing structures which can be hidden in shadows. High contrast images like this make dramatic illustrations. It is also worth pointing out that oblique views cover a larger area than vertical images.

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