Scientific research using kites in Scotland goes back to the late 1740s, when Dr Alexander Wilson (Later Regius Professor of Astronomy) of Glasgow University carried out meteorological experiments with one of his students, Thomas Melvill.

An energetic pupil from Murrayfield Primary School, Blackburn, bringing down the kite and Pentax W60 camera at a public event run by Historic Scotland Rangers.

2010

More recently, kite aerial photography (KAP) has flourished in Scotland with many notable practitioners and innovators like Simon Harbord and West Lothian's James Gentles.  The West Lothian Archaeological Trust, and Archaeology Group, use kite aerial photography as a principal technique for aerial surveys.

In 2012, terminally ill Trust and Group co-founder, Rosie Wells, asked for some of her money to be set aside for funding a pilot project to investigate and introduce cheap, simple, low-level aerial photography techniques to children and students. Therefore, as part of our activities, we donate kite aerial photography starter and standard kits to a range of groups and individuals. This pilot project is partly to establish a reliable system for working with children and to encourage the progression to more interesting techniques, such as working in the near infra-red (NIR), phase 2 of the Scheme.

Near infra-red kite aerial photo (IR 808#16D)

Pupils from Toronto Primary School, Livingston, studying pond life and flying kites with cameras. A West Lothian school taking a pioneering lead in the pursuit of excellence through innovation. Spring 2013

The first standard kit (With Pentax W60) was donated to Edinburgh University Archaeology Society in October 2012. Three months later, we had produced and tested a viable starter kit and, in April 2013, one was donated to an individual Edinburgh archaeology student for a West Lothian schools project.

Katie and Anna with Edinburgh University Arch.Soc.'s Picavet KAP rig, Pentax W60 camera and kites

2012

By the Pilot Project's official launch date, 1st May 2013, the Trust had already distributed nine kite aerial photography kits, including both starter and standard systems.

Preference is given to those who work routinely with young people (Primary school to college student) in an archaeology or heritage context in Scotland and whose activities are published online.

West Lothian schools, and Scottish national bodies, with wider interests (eg environment / landscape) will be considered too.

Donations of equipment will normally be limited to those who can travel to West Lothian, to collect the kit, and see it in action.

Phase 1 - ongoing

KAP kit No.1 & 1NIR

(Starter)

Video clip

Near infra-red video clip   (NIR camera).

A gentle, robust, light system.

The camera is velcroed onto the pad at the top left after the kite line has been wrapped around the wire about six times.

The supplied transverse pendulum is a little longer than shown for added stability.

Cost to put such a kit together online ~£65

Use a safety line

18g 808#16D (Manual) 120° (diagonal) wide-angle HD video camera (details) and 2GB Micro SD card.  If you have problems getting the camera to work try reinserting the SD card.  If that fails, reformat the card using the setup program.

Recommended free video player: VideoLan (click on 'View' and then 'Advanced Controls' after installation). Use VideoLan to select the best stills from the video.

This small camera is good on a pole too.

Wire rig (2)  Supplier of this gauge wire.

Velcro  

808#16D micro HD video camera

Tip: When the string is reeled out, if the camera is bobbing about too much, walk forwards for a short distance until the line bows a little. The camera should then become transiently stable and give a steady section of video.

KAP kit No.2

(Standard)

A tough, waterproof, shock resistant system with a replaceable UV filter on the front of the lens.

Cost to put such a kit together online ~£230, based on the Celtic Delta.

With the delta, make sure that the outer spars are pushed down to the lower corners of the kite before flight.  With the sled, if one of the fibreglass spars pops out of the fabric, do not fly it until the spar is reinserted with the end cap in place.

Compact camera (formerly the Pentax WG 1** with built-in interval mode - now the the Pentax WG-10) and SD card.  Manual

Typical settings for KAP work with the WG 1, with ISO 200 and interval set to 10 seconds.  Other techniques for triggering camera shutters.

Brooxes Simplex Picavet rig.

Halo reel with ~90m of 65daN (140lb) Dacron Black line or, latterly, 60m of 220lb Dacron line.

* The HQ 3m deltas are no longer exported to the UK and the 9ft Mylar delta is no longer shipped to the UK by Emma Kites. We have now had delta kites made to order by a factory in China. The Spirit of Air, 2.6m Celtic Delta is a low cost kite that can still be bought in the UK.

** The WG 2 and 3 do not allow interval mode to be selected along with sports mode, as with the WG1, so faster speeds cannot be set as a preference. However, the WG 1/2/3 cameras can also be operated with a GentLed which will give shorter interval shooting times than 10 seconds and still permit the use of sports mode. The Pentax WG-10 appears to be like the WG-1.

Phase 2 - initiating

KAP kit No.3

(NIR Standard)

 As kit No.2 but with NIR compact camera

under construction

NIR cameras, or kits, will normally be issued to those who are happy with their efforts in Phase 1 of the Scheme and have sent us images for inclusion below.

In unstable winds, assuming that there is sufficient lift, the addition of a fuzzy tail (1) (2) helps stabilise the kite. These are normally provided with the above kits. Handle the kites with care and do not drag them along the ground. Do not fly in winds gusting over 20mph. Aim to fly in a light to moderate breeze. Always check the weather forecast. Keep away from power lines, trees, buildings and airports. In the UK do not fly a kite above 60m, unless you have obtained special permission from the Civil Aviation Authority.

Kite lines are supplied with swivels for attaching to the kite when flown.  Swivels are useful for untwisting lines. After prolonged use, swivels can fail and, ideally, the line should be attached directly to the kite using a knot. This is less of an issue with the gentle starter kit. The kite and line should be checked regularly for signs of wear.

Launch the kite at the end of at least 20m of line and fly it for a while to check its stability before attaching the camera. The further the camera is attached away from the kite, the more stable it will be.

Homemade Picavet rig with power sled 24 kite (June 2007)

Published with the kind permission of David Hunt

© David Hunt

How to anchor the kite line with a quick release knot.

Kite aerial photography kit recipients

Are the kits working well?  Let us know.....send a picture for inclusion below ;o)

JohnWLATrust.org.uk

You can also post on our SNAPS Forum and tell everyone who you are and what you are doing, or intend doing, with the kit.

 NIR = 830nm near infra-red

Edinburgh University Archaeology Society

Holyrood Palace

Armadale Camera Club - West Lothian

Hannah - Edinburgh Archaeology Outreach Project

St Tanwg's Church near Harlech, Wales.

x

Left: Nant Gwytheryn Quarries

Buckets and spades in North Berwick (Edinburgh Fringe).

Flying the kite and rig at Whitecastle

Luggate, site of 7^th century chapel

Brian - WLAG West Lothian

Alvie Primary School at Ballourie no wind so used pole

Allt Na Baranachd, Cairngorms

John - South Ayrshire

Rural Connect -  West Lothian

Pupil from Hermitage Academy taking his turn.

Pupils from Kirkmichael Primary School with their trenches on the Glenshee excavation

Rathcroghan (2) with geophysics survey grid in place

Ardeer Primary School pupils.

Still from first video 

Barrmill Village: Still from aerial survey

Toronto Primary School - West Lothian

Pupils at Blawhorn Moss West Lothian

Becky - West Lothian

Alison et al. - NMS, Edinburgh

Clarkly Hill

Clarkly Hill

Santiago - HS Edinburgh

Rangers - HS Linlithgow, West Lothian

Ricardo - Portugal

Armadale Primary School - West Lothian

Val - Clackmannanshire

Steven - SIPT, Glasgow

Lindsey - Glasgow School of Art and SIPT

Julie - UHI, Orkney

Andrew - MCS, Musselburgh

David - Education Officer, West Lothian

Tom - Armadale Academy, West Lothian

Tom - WLFHS, West Lothian

Alex - RCAHMS, Edinburgh

Rathcroghan Visitor Centre - Roscommon, Ireland. Community and School projects initiated by Gary Dempsey and Kevin Barton.

Rindoon

Steve and Julia Barton - Nottingham

Betty - HAA, West Lothian

Canal Greenspace Development Officer
Waterways Trust
(1)  (2)

Easter Carmuirs Primary School visit to the Falkirk Wheel.

Daniel, Leeds

Tump on Selsey Common, near Stroud.

Haresfield to the left.

Jo Kingsbury - RSPB Glasgow multiple users and use

Stefan Sagrott - National Trust for Scotland 

Ian - Oatridge College SRUC West Lothian

Torphichen Primary School - West Lothian

Jeff Sanders - ScARF / Dig It! 2015, Edinburgh

Rob Berry - UoG Gloucestershire

Carol Dickson - EAFS Edinburgh

Gary Dempsey - Glasgow School of Art

x

Bill Kerr - KCoS West Lothian

First outing with the new camera within 1 day of receipt, taken in miserable conditions.

Eastertoun Primary School - West Lothian

Windyknowe Primary School - West Lothian

Balbardie  Primary School - West Lothian

Armadale Beavers - West Lothian

Kirkliston Primary School - West Lothian

Kirkhill Primary School - West Lothian

Blackridge Primary School - West Lothian

Ken Bowker - Moidart History Group

 Acharacle Primary School - Highland

Arisaig Primary School - Highland

Gill Russell - Glenbuchat Strathdon Aberdeenshire

Tomnaverie stone circle near Tarland.

Taken with the starter kit, demonstrating that lighting is everything!

First outing

Blawhorn Moss

Paul Duffy - Bute

Paul Cordes - Tyne and Wear (DART Workshop follow-up)

DART Horizon Scanning Workshop - Leeds University

Carmen Cuenca-Garcia, Crete

x

Sent as follow-up

Elaine

Hannah - University of Bradford

Random number generator, 3 Starter Kit prizes ;o)

Allan's Primary School - Stirling

James Young High School - Livingston

Giles Carey - Warwick         (830nm NIR)

Jonathan and Ian - Murieston Environmental Group

Heritage Heroes Project: Biggar aerial photography crew.

Outing to Boghall Castle

Michael Brown    (830nm NIR)

Clackmannanshire Field Studies Society

Inaugural flight on Cairnpapple

Kite flyer Sadie Archibald

Sophie Nicol - Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust

Anna Welti - Wester Ross

Linlithgow Bridge Primary School (and Mrs Bruce) - West Lothian

Flying from the school playground, looking northwards, to locate the site of the old paper mill.  A project involving the Local History Library and Museums Galleries Scotland.

Stirling Field and Archaeological Society (Paul Sorowka)

Stirling Young Archaeologists' Club (Colin Davenport)

Tynedale Archaeology (Phil Bowyer)

Karin Chipulina - East Lothian Forest School

Andi Neilson - East Lothian Forest School

Ross Flemington - East Lothian Forest School

Jane Summers

80 recipients

including 4 830nm NIR conversions

Emphasis is now on getting starter kits out to West Lothian schools (15 Aug 2013). There are 95 schools in total.

Restocking with Pentax WG-10s as needed.

Currently considering 720nm NIR compacts.

Tom Wells of Armadale (2½ years old).

Jim, Cade, Heidi and John of West Lothian Archaeology with a (discontinued) Sutton Flow Form kite on Cairnpapple.