Description

The all-round package includes everything you need for the successful launch of your Weather Balloon.
The very light Polystyrene probe offers enough space for several cameras and protects the equipment from the temperature in the stratosphere. The robust construction ensures a safe landing of the equipment and the “wings” attached to the side of the Polystyrene probe reduce rotation for great images and recordings. The included gloves protect the delicate “skin” of the balloon during inflation. There is also a reliable 4G GPS tracker STRATOfinder, as well as a Weather Balloon and a corresponding parachute. The parachute, the Weather Balloon, and the camera can be securely connected to each other with the help of the Special Cord.
Important: The Special Cord complies with the legally required tensile strength of < 230N. In contrast to normal power banks, the High-Performance Batteries also works in the stratosphere and reliably supplies the camera with power, so that the entire flight will be recorded. As we have successfully carried out all our flights with this equipment, it has proven itself to be realiable and efficient. Based on our experience, we have also created a detailed Weather Balloon Guide (‘How to launch a Weather Balloon’, ebook). In this free manual, we explain the entire mission step by step and offer valuable tips and advices, accompanied by numerous pictures on almost 100 pages. The combination of Weather Balloon Kit and Guide prepares you perfectly for your own successful stratospheric flight. The only thing missing: helium. You can get the helium/balloon gas from a gas dealer in your region or from larger hardware stores. If you want to know how much helium you need, check out our helium calculator.

Features

• All-in-one package: weather balloon, GPS tracker, camera, and much more.
• Detailed step-by-step instructions with numerous pictures and videos
• Tips & tricks for obtaining flight permission and insurance
• Take breathtaking video footage from the edge of space
• Reliable equipment for extreme stratospheric environments
• Highest quality: We only offer equipment that has been proven over the years
• Meets all regulations of the aviation authorities (SERA regulation)
• Incl. useful tools: Helium calculator, flight route prediction, data logger evaluation, registration with aviation authorities
• Reusability: Except for the bursting weather balloon, everything can be used for further flights.
• No matter if school project, research flight or private hobby project: Our Weather Balloon Kit can be configured individually

Do you work for an agency or a company? Then our full-service film production could be interesting for you.

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Scope of delivery

Weather Balloon

Parachute

Guide

Special cord

GPS Tracker

Batterypack

Polystyrene Probe

Gloves

Tesa duct tape

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optional

Datalogger
STRATO4

Datalogger
STRATOmini

Space Cam

SPOT Trace

Experiment mount

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FAQ

Is the launch of a weather balloon allowed?

Yes! To launch your weather balloon (also known as a high altitude balloon or meteorological balloon), you need a flight permit. This permit can easily be requested by email – whether you are in Germany, Switzerland, or other countries. For Germany, you will also find here a practical tool that guides you step by step through the registration process.

Do you need a license for this, or can anyone launch a weather balloon?

No specific license is required – basically, anyone can launch a weather balloon (also called a high altitude balloon or meteorological balloon).
Whether as a private individual, a company, or as part of a school project, it is allowed. The only important requirement is to obtain the proper launch permit (flight authorization) before the ascent (see point 1).

Do I need prior knowledge? Is it complicated?

Launching a weather balloon (also known as a high altitude balloon or meteorological balloon) is very straightforward and does not require any prior knowledge. Our Weather Balloon Kit includes everything you need: a detailed step-by-step guide, numerous illustrations, and explanatory videos. For teachers, we even provide a full teaching unit / lesson series with worksheets, solutions, and a didactic lesson plan.
And if you still have any questions, our support team is always available.

How much does it cost to launch a weather balloon?

The cost of a weather balloon (also called a high altitude balloon or meteorological balloon) project depends on the configuration of our Weather Balloon Kit. In practice, you should budget between €400 and €1,500. Additional external costs include about €80 for the required launch permit (flight authorization), around €90 for an aviation liability insurance (aircraft operator liability insurance), and approximately €120 for helium.

How high and how far does a weather balloon fly?

The flight altitude and distance of a weather balloon (also known as a high altitude balloon or meteorological balloon) depend on several factors. The larger the weather balloon and the lighter the payload, the higher the ascent. Typical altitudes range between 25,000 and 40,000 meters (≈82,000 – 131,000 feet). For this purpose, we offer different sizes of weather balloons. The entire flight, from launch to landing, usually lasts about 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Depending on wind speeds in different atmospheric layers, a weather balloon covers on average about 80 km (≈50 miles) in a straight line – sometimes only 30 km (≈19 miles) in summer, but up to 140 km (≈87 miles) in winter.

What if the weather balloon lands on a road?

Once a weather balloon (also called a high altitude balloon or meteorological balloon) takes off, it can no longer be steered. Nevertheless, several safety precautions are recommended to make the flight as safe as possible. All equipment should be securely packed, for example in our styrofoam probe. In addition, the flight path can be calculated in advance. Together with the correct amount of helium – determined using our helium calculator – the ascent rate can also be influenced. If it appears that the balloon might land in a populated area, a slower ascent can help it “fly over” the region. We also recommend applying for the launch permit for several consecutive days. This way, depending on wind and weather conditions, the launch can be postponed to ensure the best possible landing region. Of course, there is always a residual risk, and a landing on a road cannot be completely excluded. Even a payload of 1–2 kg, descending slowly by parachute and packed in styrofoam, could cause damage. However, since Stratoflights was founded in 2012, we have never experienced a case of damage, nor has one been reported by our many customers worldwide. And if an incident should ever occur, it is covered by an aviation liability insurance (aircraft operator liability insurance). The fact that the insurance premium is only about €80 shows that major insurance companies also consider the risk to be very low.
Fun fact: The German Weather Service launches around 7,500 weather balloons every year – worldwide the number is over 700,000.