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projects:microballoons:faq

FAQ and Recommendations

  1. DO NOT launch near airports, military bases, cities, pylons.
  2. Ensure that balloon and payload are no more then 2m in length in any direction
  3. Launch in calm weather conditions - foil balloons are tougher then latex however to acheive float they have very little free lift and so are very sensitive to damage, high winds, clouds and rain. It has been seen that sometimes the balloons aren't able to pass through a cloud layer. Another issue is that with a low ascent rate if there are high ground winds the balloon can travel quite far before getting above tree/pylon/building height and so is at an increased risk of getting caught. Rain can add mass to the balloon and payload which could result descent of the balloon. Suggested weather conditions:
    1. Winds below 5mph (8kmph)
    2. Clear skys (avoid cloud and also allows visual tracking)
    3. No rain
  4. Launch in open high area
  5. Fill indoors
  6. If using more then one balloon aim to fill the balloons equally - if the balloons are unequal then the overfilled balloon will come to pressure earlier and burst. If you lose one balloon then you lose the lift it contributes and also add the dead weight of the balloon often resulting in descent of the setup.
  7. Use as little free lift as possible.
projects/microballoons/faq.txt · Last modified: 2012/07/16 10:05 by navrac

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