Pilot balloons, also known as weather balloons, are used by meteorologists to study air currents. They are filled with helium and explode at high altitudes. Observations of the pilot balloon’s speed, direction, and elevation help determine wind conditions. Pilot balloons have been used since 1783 and have aided in the discovery of the troposphere. Radio tracking systems have expanded their use to include temperature and humidity readings, creating three-dimensional maps of the atmosphere. They have also been used for espionage and topographical mapping, but have been mistaken for foreign threats and alien spacecraft.
A pilot balloon is a tool used by meteorologists to study the movements of air currents, or wind. It is a long, cylindrical balloon filled with helium, designed to explode when reaching the upper levels of the atmosphere. The use of pilot balloons has strong ties to aviation, civilian projects, and international espionage. Also called weather balloons, pilot balloons have been used since 1783, when two Frenchmen launched a wind speed pilot balloon to check wind conditions before the launch of the first balloon flight.
Pilot balloon observation is the practice of studying the pilot balloon in flight. Accurate measurements are taken to find the speed of the pilot balloon and the direction it travels. The elevation of the pilot balloon and its azimuth angles are taken into account in the observations to determine wind speed and direction at different altitudes in the atmosphere.
While very little has changed in the construction and design of the pilot balloon since the first one was launched, it has proven to be a very valuable tool in the study of meteorology and other earth sciences. With the use of pilot balloons, a French meteorologist named Leon Teisserenc de Bort was able to discover and prove that the earth has a troposphere, a lower level of the atmosphere where the weather occurs. In the 1930s, new technology came onto the scene in the form of radio tracking systems which made it possible to expand the utility of the pilot balloon and further develop the science of meteorology.
With radio tracking, pilot balloons have become more than just wind sensing instruments. A variety of instruments could be added to the weather balloon which allowed it to read temperatures and humidity, among other things. The use of pilot balloons for weather observation has allowed meteorologists to create three-dimensional maps of the atmosphere and the various weather patterns that affect the atmosphere.
In some cases, a pilot balloon is also equipped with cameras, video equipment or telescopes to capture those rare sights that could only be seen from the air. This made pilot balloons a useful asset for espionage and creating detailed topographical maps. However, this use is not without its drawbacks. With the unique size and dimensions of pilot balloons, over the years, they have been mistakenly thought of as objects such as threats from foreign enemies, unidentified aircraft, and alien spacecraft.
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