BJ Marine Tech Ltd, in conjunction with Qinetiq has developed an Airborne Payload Delivery System. The system can deliver a payload to altitude in a quick and cost effective way by using rapidly-deployable, helium filled kite balloons.

A number of the balloons are available which may be stacked together to offer a versatile system that will lift a range of payloads up to 20kg to an altitude dependent on the length of tether (currently around 350 metres). The stacking principal allows the system to be “tuned” to wind speed and payload weight requirement. In this way, the balloon stack may be optimised for safe use in a variety of wind speeds.

After our initial involvement in the deployment of the balloons, our project now is to provide the instrumentation which gives Heading, Pitch and Roll, and altitude data all programmed with the multiplexor remotely controlled from the ground including Power Up and Power Down.