Kite balloon

Drachen kite balloon, showing its characteristic shape

A kite balloon is a tethered balloon which is shaped to help make it stable in low and moderate winds and to increase its lift. It typically comprises a streamlined envelope with stabilising features and a harness or yoke connecting it to the main tether and a second harness connected to an observer's basket.

Kite balloons are able to fly in higher winds than ordinary round balloons which tended to bob and spin in windy conditions.[1] They were extensively used for military observation during World War I and similar designs were used for anti-aircraft barriers, as barrage balloons in both world wars.

  1. ^ Ege, 1973, pp.128–129

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