|
I'm currently in the planning phase to do a launch with my local astronomy club. The build and launch aspects are the easy part. Getting CASA approval is the biggest issue and it all depends on what you can get your balloon classified as. If you just want to launch a small one with a little transponder on it then their are not too many regulations to adhere too, but start adding in a camera or two, gps transponder so you can track and recover your payload, radar reflector, batteries, etc, weight becomes an issue, so you need a bigger balloon and then you are in to a different class of balloon in CASA's eyes. These then require a lot more regulation, and may even need things like remote cut down switches to end the flight immediately at the request of air traffic control. These things don't go straight up and straight down again. I have been running simulations for my area and once had a balloon travel 300km to the east on a single standard flight. Yes you might not launch into a flight path but what about when it's coming back down? These are all things you will need to consider and research beforehand. Good luck.
|