Aerial filming using a video camera and helium balloons

[V3Parkour]

Just imagining how funny it would be if a bird flew into the camera.

[TheWwweee]

bad song

[satweavers]

I'm about to try this.  I'm putting my camera on something like a weather vane and hope this prevents the camera from twirling around too much.

[heyifixit]

Neat = if you ever do it again use two fishing real out in a ball field =move apart and you could direct the view..+ if one brakes you have a back - up..

cu

[rspratt]

@heyifixit Neat idea!

[sealsearcher]

that was brilliant - thx for the ride :)

[imback218]

shit if it touched that power line you would've been dead

[ivandjones]

Thanks for posting... just bought a tank of helium to have a play... looks pretty high up - how much string did you let out?

[rspratt]

@ivandjones I'm glad to hear you are having a go. I would guess that we probably got it to about 700 or 800 feet. We did have plenty more string to let out but we started worrying that to were getting 'too high' so we pulled it in again. With hindsight, I wish we'd carried on. It was a fairly still day so I think it would have been fine to continue. As I've said in the description for the video, I would definitely use a fishing reel next time, for a much smoother ascent.

[heyifixit]

@rspratt Neat = if you ever do it again use two fishing real out in a ball field =move apart and you could direct the view..+ if one brakes you have a back - up..

cu

[locolopelocolope]

Great idea !

And some of the images are really good. I think that keeping it stable must be the most complicated part of the job.

[rspratt]

@locolopelocolope You're right - keeping it stable was the hardest (impossible?) part. How DO you stop it swaying about? Any ideas, anyone? Some complex gyro system? I think perhaps you'd need to consider using remote control helicopter instead for that, assuming they can go up that high.

[neutrinonerd3333]

@rspratt umm what rope/string/line did u use? and btw simply use three lines, attach them to a styrofoam block, make it hollow and cut a hole on the bottom so the camera can see through. seal the box and attach the balloons on top (one rope = all directions sway, two rope= forward backward sway, three rope = no sway, assuming u keep the line taut)

[zoomerlawns]

I bet your heart was racing the whole time it was up there because anything could have gone wrong. (popped balloons, cut string, etc.)

[rspratt]

@zoomerlawns 6 people were there at the time and there was a mixed reaction. One guy was a complete prophet of doom and thought that everything would go wrong. I think he even suggested that it would bring down an airliner. Other people were chilled about it and just enjoying the fun that it was. The worst that could happen (apart from bringing down an airliner) would be to lose the camera. Believe me, when that's at stake, you make sure it's bloody secure so that isn't going to happen!

[zoomerlawns]

@rspratt Yeah, there's usually a killjoy in every crowd. It sounds like that guy is a control freak. I want to do something like that soon! It looks so cool.

[CaptQuint601]

Great video! How many balloons did you use & what size were they??

[murf69]

awesome dude, was just thinking of doing this

[rspratt]

Then do it! Cheers for the positive feedback

[ralflor]

Super cool!!!!!

[klappahunda]

how did you recover the footage from the camera? didn't it crash?

[rspratt]

Thanks for your comment. If you read the description you'll see that we had the balloons tied to string so we were able to retrieve it later on.

[militaryminded85]

can someone try this on fireworks night?...i think you'd get some pretty amazing footage of fireworks that high up...commence thumbing me up now lol

[dmbucsfan]

have you seen the balloon project? their's is better but they actually let it go and chase it down

[LostInEthernet]

Nice video. You did this in 2007? Your video cam must have been heavy. How many balloons did you use? And how many feet was your string?

I did something like this recently (posted a video), and after, I checked youtube and found your video, among other Balloon projects.

You were early and daring! Good job.

[8RR8R8]

Nice!

This music is SO TACKY--haha!

[DodoBenny]

WoW! Excellent video!!! Great idea!! :D

[carriesmywoman]

you know, i have always wanted to do that, damn looks like a lot of fun.

[broadside27]

Fantastic idea, but man you go to love that tune......it's awesome!!!!, My beautiful balloon, I've got to get it!

[1matthew3354]

that is cool i would be scard for my cam!!!

[AngelusWaters1969]

Cool video! Been thinking of trying this too. British countryside - beautiful indeed. Houses look different than here in the States... :)

[dmt0709]

Is this Dibley? Where's the Vicar? Really cool vid.

[yuckypuppy]

it does look like dibley. hahah i loved that show

[rawr0418]

tiny town

[ChickenWingzz]

I wonder how i can get helium here where i live. But ill definitely try it! love this vid! rate 5!

[ductapengineering]

you can get a balloon time helium tank at walmart for about 20 bucks

[drummer78]

Cool experiment but what if the camera came unattached and landed on someone?

[WingOfDawn1]

lol murder

[kevinLopezBrante2008]

Cool way to broadcast!

[kovam1812]

ur killing bird! lol

[rappy101]

I need to try this

[Jezzie33]

the prodigy remix of this song rules

[YKPAIHA82]

The song is gay! lol

[mick55]

@YKPAIHA82 Your Gay... The Song Is A Classic! *sLaP! PUNK!

[TheBalloonProject]

use the wind to control direction!

we've done it in berlin and new york city and it worked out pretty well. you just gotta be able to chase it. cool video :)

[stevieboyggg]

great video we take aerial photographs from a helium balloon with R/C camera and ALTIMETER

[mijoluco]

can someone please tell me who sings this song

[rspratt]

'Up, up and away (in my beautiful balloon)' by Fifth Dimension.

[mijoluco]

thank u very much 4 that xxxxx

[Spyplane2005]

if you read the description...

[mijoluco]

shut it

[wiieny]

nvm that last comment

[wiieny]

how the heck did you get it back???

[aussierigger]

I just love that the Brits who flew this camera must of had a ball putting the music to this clip being such a classy camp number overlooking the gentle and beautful English countryside....ahhhhh and it LOOPS over and over!!! Just tune out kids and float away...

[jsl151850b]

I too wanted to try that.

Some sort of image stabilization platform for the camera, a time delayed balloon popper and a cell phone with GPS for recovery would be needed.

[squirrelgecko]

you wouldn't need a delayed popper system...all you need to do is stick a piece of tape on the balloon, then puncture the part of the balloon with the tape on it with a needle. The tape will keep the balloon from popping, and there will be a very slow leak to let helium out.

[Bioron]

GREAT VIDEO!!

[mrpregnant11]

great footage. I been thanking about doing something like this. I got the balloons but i need to have a permit to get the helium.

[rspratt]

I am not sure if you are in the UK. Here, all I had to do was go into a shop which supplied helium (party/novelty shop)and I walked out with a big canister of it, no questions asked.

[Kcy101]

Same in NY(USA)

[robglobetrotter]

cool

[lobstertexas]

do you know how high it got in feet? (did you wait until you almost ran out of line before you reeled it back in?) .. :D

[rspratt]

I would guess that we probably got it to about 700 or 800 feet. We did have plenty more string to let out but we started worrying that to were getting 'too high' so we pulled it in again. With hindsight, I wish we'd carried on. It was a fairly still day so I think it would have been fine to continue. As I've said in the description for the video, I would definitely use a fishing reel next time, for a much smoother ascent.

[TheBalloonProject]

that song is amazing! i can't wait to get some footage like that. this week we send one over berlin germany.

[rspratt]

Goods luck with the experiment!

[rappy0]

awsom I've got to try that my mom and dad love this song lol 5/5

[dbpdbp]

mesmerising

[ibo2147]

It seems you succesfully saved your camcorder from losing in space...

[KarenGrace1]

I found your great vid cause I wanted to hear the song but the images of the quite little town was added atraction.Thanks

[rspratt]

For anyone interested, the filmed village is 'Little Oakley'. It's quite near the port of Harwich on the South East coast of England.

[Broomers1]

Love the music

[v2vroth]

Cute Vidoe:>)

[georgesbataille]

good music, interesting vid, well done.