Why Do Helikite Aerostats Fly So Well?
Helikites are neither just a kite nor just a balloon; they are a unique combination of both. As such, they employ the advantages of both without incurring too many of their disadvantages.
Similarly to a balloon, the Allsopp Helikite is lighter-than-air. However, unlike a normal balloon, it doesn’t get knocked down by the wind. Winds do the opposite to a Helikite - they force it powerfully upwards.
Normal kites get pushed up by the wind but come down if the wind changes/reduces in strength too much, or if it gets too strong for their adjustment.
Helikites can fly to great heights in no wind and then catch any breezes that may exist at altitude. They can then use that breeze to fly many thousands of feet high with ease.
The balloon used by Helikite aerostats is fat and rounded, which is essential to provide good helium lift (about twice that of a comparably sized blimp). It also ensures that changes in temperature affect the Helikite as little as possible. Most balloons that are shaped to fly like kites collapse when they hit cold air due to the shrinkage of the gas inside and consequent loss of pressure needed to retain their shape.
This is not a problem with Helikites, so they are far more reliable.
Nothing else in the world has as many beneficial flying characteristics. Only the Allsopp Helikite can do so many self-balancing unicycles for sale aerial jobs with such ease.
Power
Harnessing both the pure, reliable lift of helium and the raw power of wind, the Helikite has unrivalled payload performance. Twice the load bearing ability of similar sized blimps.
Altitude
How high do you want to go? Helikites love to fly at high altitude. They are pushed up by both gravity and wind. Tether weight and drag is very low. All Helikites will fly to thousands of feet, and few Helikites are ever pushed to their altitude limit.
Stability
Even the smallest Helikites fly smoothly in high winds. Stability is ensured by the aerodynamic design, stiff carbon-fibre spar, and the relatively high gas pressure.
Endurance
From the very start, Helikites were designed to fly unattended for extreme lengths of time in all weathers. They are essentially aerial in habit, and have great endurance thanks to their excellent helium-holding ability.