Okay, so I had this crazy idea to get some aerial shots, but I didn’t want to mess with a drone. Too much hassle, you know? I remembered seeing those weather balloons and thought, “Hey, why not attach a camera to one of those?” Thus started my “balloon for camera” project.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a big weather balloon. I mean, these things are huge! I also picked up a lightweight action camera. It wouldn’t do to have my balloon weighed down before it even got off the ground, right?
I also got:
- A roll of strong string (fishing line would probably work, too)
- Some duct tape (because you always need duct tape)
- A GPS tracker (just in case my balloon decided to go on an unscheduled trip)
- Helium tank(rent one, don’t buy,trust me)
Putting It All Together
I carefully inflated the balloon with * nearly carried me away in the process, haha!
Then, I fashioned a little harness for the camera out of duct tape. It wasn’t pretty, but it was secure. I attached the GPS tracker to the harness as well, making sure it wouldn’t fall off. I used the method which called “suspension line attachment”.
Next, I tied the string to the balloon and the camera harness. I made sure to leave plenty of slack, figuring the higher it went, the better the shots would be. This part was a little tricky, you wanna make it long enough, but also control the camera.
Finally, I attached the camera and turned it to video record mode!
The Launch (and the Mishaps)
I took my contraption out to an open field, holding my breath. Slowly, I let go of the string, and up it went! It was actually working! The balloon soared into the sky, the camera dangling below. My operation of attaching the camera is a success!
For a while, everything was perfect. I could see the balloon getting smaller and smaller, and I was already imagining the awesome footage I’d get.
Then, the wind picked up. The balloon started drifting sideways, heading straight for a bunch of trees. My heart sank. I watched in horror as it got snagged on a branch, the camera swinging wildly. It bounced around in tree for about 30 minutes, then the wind changed direction, and it went up to the sky again. It really scared me!
Retrieval and Results
Eventually, the balloon started to descend. I tracked its location using the GPS, and after a bit of a hike, I found it lying in a field. The camera was still attached, miraculously.
When I reviewed the footage, it was a mixed bag. There were some amazing panoramic shots, but also a lot of shaky, blurry footage from the tree incident. I even got some unexpected close-ups of leaves and branches. You know, nature!
Overall, it was a fun experiment, even with the near-disaster. Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I’ll definitely check the wind forecast first! And maybe find a field with fewer trees. Or perhaps use a larger and stronger balloon. Or maybe, just maybe, I’ll actually learn how to fly a drone.