Flexifoil Camera kite User manual

Camera Kite

User Manual

Version 1

Patent Pending 1721054.3

Camera

Kite

User

Manual 3

Thank you for purchasing your new Flexifoil kite. Prior to using your Flexifoil kite, you conﬁ rm that

you have read and understood the following warnings and instructions including all those detailed

on the carton. For updates, please visit www.ﬂ exifoil.com. If you are under the age of 18 years,

you should have a parent or guardian read this information, warnings and instructions too. You

should not use your Flexifoil products unless you are under the supervision of an experienced

adult.

Disclaimer And Warnings

The use of this product exposes the kiter to many unavoidable and unexpected risks or injuries.

Flexifoil International Limited, its subsidiaries, afﬁ liates, directors, employees and shareholders

(‘Flexifoil’) are not responsible for any damage to property, personal injury caused by misuse,

abuse or irresponsible use of this product by the user of the products. There are numerous

inherent risks and dangers with kiting that can lead to serious injury and death to the kiter and

others. Kites, ﬂ ying lines and control equipment can be dangerous to anyone in the proximity of

their use. All kiting must be taken seriously. When using Flexifoil products you are responsible for

your own safety and the safety of others around you.

Kiting activities are diverse, with many disciplines and different levels. There can be certain risks.

The following warnings contain security and safety points to remember when ﬂ ying your kite.

Flexifoil strongly recommends that you:

1. Seek the advice of professional instructors or/and experienced kiters. Incorrect use of the kite

may result in serious injury or death;

2. Do not ﬂ y your kite near power lines, airports, buildings, etc;

3. Keep your ﬂ ying lines away from people and other obstacles at any time. When ﬂ ying lines and

bridles are under tension, they can cut like a knife;

4. Always ﬂ y in an open space and observe weather conditions;

5. Do not use your kite above water since this kite will sink and the stabiliser will break beyond

repair;

6. Do not use your kite in the rain in case of lightening and the stabiliser is not waterproof;

7. Spend enough time to become familiar with the use of your kite and remember that you are

responsible for the security and safety of those around you;

8. Work within your own limitations and do not exceed them;

Kite Safety & Maintenance

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User

Manual 5

Release Of Liability And Assumption Of Risk

Do not use this product unless you agree with the following terms and conditions:

The use of Flexifoil products and any of its components involve certain risks, dangers, and

hazards that can result in serious personal injury and death to both the user and to non-user third

parties. In using Flexifoil products, you conﬁ rm that you have carefully reviewed, understood and

agree to comply with the terms of Flexifoil User Manual(s), instructions, safety and the information

detailed on the carton (‘Agreement’).

This Agreement is governed by the law of England and Wales, and is subject to the exclusive

jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. You freely agree to assume and accept any and

all known and unknown risks of injury to you and to third parties while using this equipment. You/

user of Flexifoil products understands that Flexifoil is not responsible for any damage to property

or injury caused by negligent operation of this product by you/user, and you/user releases

Flexifoil from all such liability. In the event of your/user’s death or incapacity, this Agreement shall

be effective and binding upon your heirs, next of kin, executors, administrators, assigns and

representatives. The risks inherent in kiting activities can be greatly reduced by abiding by the

warning guidelines listed in the user manual and by using common sense. In consideration of

the sale of the Flexifoil product to you, you hereby agree to the fullest extent permitted by law, as

follows:

1. To waive any and all claims, that you have or may in the future have against Flexifoil

International Ltd. and all related parties resulting from use of Flexifoil products and any of its

components including any and all claims for damage caused to your smartphone or action

camera.

2. To release Flexifoil and all related parties from any and all liability for any loss, damage, injury

or expense that you or any users of your Flexifoil product may suffer, or that your next of

kin may suffer, as a result of the use of the Flexifoil product, due to any cause whatsoever,

including negligence or breach of contract on the part of Flexifoil International Ltd. and all

related parties in the design or manufacture of the Flexifoil product and any of its components.

3. In the event of your death or incapacity, all provisions contained herein shall be effective and

binding upon your heirs, next of kin, executors, administrators, assigns, and representatives.

4. Flexifoil related parties have not made and expressly deny any oral or written representations

other than what is set forth herein and the Flexifoil User’s Manual.

What Flexifoil Strongly Recommends

We recommend obtaining third-party insurance when partaking in any kiting activity. In some

countries, such insurances are mandatory. If you are not yet able to kite or if you feel insecure,

you must attend a licensed kite school to learn the basics. Get familiar with the safety precautions,

which are indispensable for safe kiting. Any kiting activity creates a strain on your body. You

should only go kiting if you are in good physical condition and suffer from no medical conditions

that may prevent you from kiting. If in doubt, seek medical advice.

General Guidance

We recommend that you use your common sense. If you can’t, here a few things for you to

consider:

1. You should have a decent level of strength to handle the kite.

2. Make sure someone knows you’re out ﬂ ying or is watching you.

3. Always assume that a crashed kite will relaunch. Even if it’s tangled, inside out, it could very

well suddenly take off.

4. Observe kiting zones on beaches and public land. Do not trespass on private land. Make sure

you pay attention to local regulations.

5. If you lose your kite, always report it to the local rescue services so that they do not waste

time and money looking for you.

6. Write your name, address and contact number on your equipment.

7. Do not leave your equipment unattended.

8. Act responsibly. Be alert and prepared to deal with expected risks.

9. Be safe. Wear protective gloves which are included with this kiting product whenever you are

handling the ﬂ ying line or bridles. Also wear suitable and sturdy footwear.

10. Those aged under 18 should always be supervised by an experienced adult.

11. It’s strongly recommended that you seek expert advice or take lessons from a fully qualiﬁ ed

kiting instructor before undertaking any kiting activities.

12. Inspect your equipment for wear and tear each time before use, especially ﬂ ying lines, the kite

sail and frame. If there are traces found showing signs of wear and tear you should stop using

your gear immediately and repair/replace before using your equipment again.

13. Make sure you use the original designed and manufactured parts from Flexifoil.

14. Do not use Flexifoil components with any other product than Flexifoil. We cannot guarantee

the integrity and safety of the product once combined with non-Flexifoil products.

15. If you go kiting in a new or different location, make sure you have some information about the

spot, wind conditions etc.

16. Watch out for people around you. Disable your kite and line on the ground when not in use.

17. Understand the wind. Weather conditions can change very fast.

18. If you’re new to kiting, work within your own limitations and do not exceed them. If you can, go

with someone who is experienced until you feel conﬁ dent.

19. Flexifoil strongly recommends not to change your kite, reel and or line. We put a lot of effort

and research to into producing safe, quality products which do not need to be changed or

modiﬁ ed.

20. Kites cannot be used for para-gliding or parascending at any time. Doing so is likely to result

in serious injury or death.

21. Understand the limitations of the product.

22. If in doubt, don’t go out!

This is by no means a ﬁ nal and deﬁ nitive list of guidelines. Please remember that you are

responsible for your own safety and that of any third parties. Just because we have published this

information does not mean that we can be held liable for your actions. We will of course keep our

guidance updated at www.ﬂ exifoil.com however we welcome all Flexifoil users to give us feedback

on safety guidelines.

Kite Safety & Maintenance

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Manual 7

Care & Maintenance

Taking good care of your kite, reel and line will prolong their happy life.

1. Do not use a washing machine or tumble dryer to clean your kite.

2. Do not use aggressive detergents or abrasive materials to clean your kite.

3. Your kite can be hand-washed care in warm soapy water. Do not use hot soapy water. Use a

mild detergent, i.e. washing up liquid, and a soft sponge.

4. Never store your kite wet. Always allow it to dry before packing and storing.

5. Do not drag your kite across the ground when trying to launch or land, especially in stubble

ﬁ elds, on stony beaches or on other abrasive surfaces that could damage your kite.

6. Do not drop your reel.

7. Do not place your reel on any wet, dusty or sandy surface.

8. The moving parts of the reel should only be cleaned with compressed air.

9. A small amount of marine grease can be used to lubricate the moving parts of the reel after it

has been cleaned with compressed air.

10. Do not disassemble your reel.

Suitable for Aerial Photography Only

This kite is made for autoKAP only. The camera and angle cannot be remotely controlled. Ahead

of launching the kite, it is recommended that you set your preferred camera angle and then switch

on time-lapse photography on your action camera or smartphone. Most action cameras have

time-lapse capability. Refer to your action camera user manual for guidance.

Important: Most action cameras are designed with a ﬁ sheye lens (an ultra wide-angle

lens) that produces strong visual distortion intended to create a wide panoramic or

hemispherical image. Unless the image is taken from the Camera Kite with the horizon

centred there will be a ﬁ sheye effect so you will need to edit your images using ﬁ sheye

correction lens software. There are many software options available on the internet. At the

time of printing this manual, we recommend an image manipulation program which can be

downloaded from www.gimp.org

Compatible with:

GoPro, Sony, YI Technology, Garmin, SJCAM and SooCoo Action Cameras.

iPhone Advice

We suggest you download an App called ‘ProCam 5’ from the App Store. Once downloaded follow

these quick setup instructions:

Kite Safety & Maintenance

1. Press ‘SET’ in the bottom righthand corner of the

screen and under the PHOTO tab, scroll down

to ‘Manual focus peaking’ and switch this setting

to ‘Off’.

2. Press the white

button until it displays the

yellow

button. Your smartphone is now set to

time-lapse photography.

3. Press ‘SET’ in the bottom righthand corner of the

screen and under the PHOTO tab, scroll down to

‘Interval’ and select how often you wish for your

smartphone to take photographs. Maximum is

a photograph every second and the minimum is

a photograph every sixty seconds. Every three

seconds is recommended.

4. Your shutter speed is default to 1/17 sec. You can

see these settings towards the bottom of your

screen starting with AE on the left, then 1/17, then

ISO, then AF-L, then WB-L and then E/F/. Please

adjust the shutter speed to 1/640 sec.

5. Press ‘SET’ to ﬁ nish.

6. Ensure you are using the rear camera of your

smartphone for the best photographs. You can

switch between the front and rear camera by

pressing the

button.

7. Press the

button and your time-lapse

photography will commence.

8. Press the

button again to end your time-lapse

photography.

Visit www.procamapp.com for more detailed advice.

1. 2. 3. 4.

ProCam 5 // iPhone

Android Advice

We suggest you download an App called ‘Open Camera’ from the Google Play Store. Once

downloaded follow these quick setup instructions:

1. Press the white

button to open the ‘Camera

Controls’ menu.

2. Press the ‘Burst’ option and scroll down to select

the ‘Unlimited’ option.

3. Press the ‘Burst mode interval’ option and select

how often you wish for your smartphone to take

photographs. Maximum is a photograph every

second and the minimum is a photograph every

2 hours. Every three seconds is recommended.

4. Scroll down to the bottom of the ‘Camera

Controls’ menu screen and enable the option

‘Use Camera2 API’. This will enable you to

use the most advanced options of the App so

you can achieve the best result. The App will

reboot automatically when you have enabled this

option.

5. Press the white

button to open the ‘ISO and

Shutter speed’ menu.

6. Slide the shutter speed bar to 640.

7. Press the white

button to open the ‘Popup’

menu.

8. Press the

button to select the ‘Focus Inﬁ nity’

option.

9. Ensure you are using the rear camera of your

smartphone for the best photographs. You can

switch between the front and rear camera by

pressing the

button.

10. Press the

button and your time-lapse

photography will commence.

11. Press the

button again to end your time-

lapse photography.

Visit www.opencamera.sourceforge.io for more

detailed advice.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Open Camera // Android

Gound ‘Selﬁ e’ Camera Angle Landscape Camera Angle

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Manual 9

Stabiliser Safety & Maintenance

Important Information

• Camera, battery and housing must not exceed 200 grams in total.

• Move the 90° mount to adjust the photo angle and add the landscape mount in-between the

camera and the stabiliser should you wish to make landscape photographs using an action

camera.

• Minimum wind speed for launch is 8mph or 13kph.

• Maximum advised wind speed for ﬂ ight is 20mph or 32kph.

• Suitable for Aerial Photography Only. (autoKAP)

For use on Land Only.

• Always use Flexifoil approved ﬂ ying lines, reels and accessories.

• Do not ﬂ y your kite near roads, power lines, airports, buildings and other obstacles.

• Keep your ﬂ ying line away from people and other obstacles at any time. When ﬂ ying lines and

bridles are under tension, they can cut like a knife.

• Do not ﬂ y your kite in the rain.

• ACTION CAMERA / SMARTPHONE NOT INCLUDED

Kite Safety & Maintenance

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Manual 11

Stabiliser Safety & Maintenance

Battery disposal

WARNING: LiPo batteries require special handling for safe disposal. The following steps must be

taken to avoid damage or injury to yourself, your property or anyone who comes into contact with

the battery.

If the battery is damaged and no longer useful:

1. Discharge the battery to a maximum of 1.0V per cell using a safe discharge method.

2. Leave the battery uncharged and retest the battery after 24 hours. If the battery is over 1.0V

per cell, repeat the procedure until the battery is 1.0V per cell or less.

3. Place electrical tape over each wire lead and tape the wire leads to opposite sides of the

battery.

4. Place battery in a sealed plastic bag and place plastic bag in a vented ﬁ re-safe container.

5. Use a ﬁ re-safe container to deliver battery to a recycling centre authorised for LiPo batteries.

Please note that not all battery recycling services accept LiPo batteries. If no LiPo recycling

facility is available in your area, please contact your local HAZMAT agency for instructions.

If the battery is damaged:

If the battery or wiring is damaged, please contact your local HAZMAT facility for instructions.

Batteries must be rendered safe before being transported or recycled.

DO NOT transport or ship batteries which have more than 1.0V per cell charged OR that show

signs of damage without following the instructions given by the HAZMAT agency.

NOTICE: The information contained within this manual and on the carton is subject to change

without further notiﬁ cation. For updated information, please visit www.ﬂ exifoil.com

Battery and Battery Charger

WARNING: Please read the safety instructions and warnings carefully. Failure to comply with the

safety instructions while using Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery could result in damaging the battery,

electrical issues, excessive heat, ﬁ re, or injury and property damage.

. Stop using or charging the battery immediately, if the battery becomes or appears damaged,

starts to balloon or swell, leaks, becomes deformed or gives off an odour, exceeds

temperature of 71 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Fahrenheit) or if anything else abnormal

occurs.

2. Disconnect the battery and observe in a safe area outside of any building or vehicle for at

least 45 minutes, as a damaged battery can experience a delayed chemical reaction that

could possibly result in ﬁ re.

3. DO NOT disassemble, modify, puncture, shock, drop, crash and/or short circuit the battery.

Leakage, smoke emission, ignition, explosion or ﬁ re can occur, which may result in personal

injury or property damage.

4. DO NOT leave the battery and charger unattended during use.

5. DO NOT attempt to charge “dead” or damaged batteries.

6. DO NOT charge a battery if the cable has been damaged or shortened.

7. DO NOT allow children to charge or use battery packs without adult supervision. Never

charge near moisture, extreme temperatures, ﬂ ammable or combustible materials.

8. DO NOT drop charger or batteries.

9. DO NOT charge or store batteries in extremely hot or cold places (recommended between 10

degrees to 26 degrees Celsius / 50 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit).

10. DO NOT leave batteries in a hot environment (inside an automobile in hot weather), or leave

in direct sunlight.

11. DO NOT place or carry batteries in your pockets or clothing.

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Manual 13

Camera Kite Package Overview

Kite Sail and Kite Frame

(incl. 90° Attachment Arm)

Reel with Support Strap and

55 Metre (180ft) Flying Line

Protective Gloves Ground Stake

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Manual 15

Anchor Leash (incl. carabiner) Landing Handle (incl. carabiner)

Rucksack Lightweight Storage Bag

Camera Kite Package Overview

Component Storage Bag Camera/Smartphone Stabiliser

User Manual

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Manual 17

Camera Kite Assembly

• Unpack your kite and spars from your rucksack.

• Assemble all  ve free spars to full length.

• 2 x top spine spars (shortest of the  ve spars)

• 2 x wingtip spars (longest of the  ve spars)

• 1 x spreader spar

• Assemble the bottom spine spar which is already located in the bottom spine sleeves of the

kite with the red 90° attachment arm attached to the middle section of the bottom spine spar.

Ensure the bungee that goes through the red 90° attachment arm is located behind the spar,

towards the inside of your kite.

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Manual 19

• Insert the wingtip spars into each wingtip sleeve and close each of the Velcro fold-over ends.

Each wingtip spar needs to be located close to the bottom of the wingtip sleeve so the tip of the

wingtip spar is snug into the Velcro folded-over end. Note that the wingtip spars are shorter than

the length of the entire wingtip sleeves for improved aerodynamics. There is supposed to be

loose wingtip sleeve material towards the nose of the kite. (Important)

• Insert the top spine spars into each of the top spine sleeves and close each of the Velcro fold-

over ends. Note that these top spine spars will utilise the entire length of the top spine sleeves.

Camera Kite Assembly

• Insert the spreader spar into the spreader spar pockets which are situated on the top of the kite

and be sure to pass the spreader spar ﬁ rst through the two guiding loops that are located on the

top spine spar sleeves.

• Check if the bridle line and black wingtip bungees are free and untangled.

• Your kite is now ready for its ﬁ rst test ﬂ ight.

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Manual 21

Camera Kite Deployment

Safety Rules (in addition to the Kite Safety & Maintenance and General Guidance sections of

this User Manual)

• Always check with your local authority to understand how high and whereabouts your kite may

be ﬂ own since kite ﬂ ying is not permitted everywhere. Kite ﬂ ying regulations are different from

country to country and state to state.

• Your kite reel is supplied with 55 metres (180 feet) of ﬂ ying line as standard. Always ﬂ y in an

open space and ensure your choice of ﬂ ying location is free of buildings, trees, hills and any

other obstacles which can inﬂ uence the wind or get in the path of your kite. Never ﬂ y your kite

near power lines, airports, roads, railway lines etc. Protect fauna and ﬂ ora and do not ﬂ y your

kite on private property unless you have the owner’s permission.

• Be aware of changing weather conditions. Never ﬂ y your kite in the rain or in thunderstorms and

never ﬂ y your kite above water since it will sink and the stabiliser (if installed) will break beyond

repair.

• Spend enough time to become familiar with the use of your kite and remember that you are

responsible for the security and safety of those around you. Never ﬂ y your kite on crowed sites

or where a third party could be injured or feel threatened by the kite and ﬂ ying line. Keep your

kite and ﬂ ying line away from people and other obstacles at all times. When the ﬂ ying line and

the bridle are under tension, they can cut like a knife. Signiﬁ cant heat can result from the line

rubbing. Always wear protective gloves (included with your kite) when touching/handling the

ﬂ ying line and bridle. Never wrap ﬂ ying line around your hands, ﬁ ngers or body.

WIND DIRECTION

DOWNWINDUPWIND

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Manual 23

First Kite Test Flights (with the support of a helper)

Always start with several test ﬂ ights without attaching the stabiliser and camera or smartphone

onto your kite, so you can get familiar with your kite, the wind conditions and the terrain. Take your

kite out for its ﬁ rst test ﬂ ight in a moderate breeze of between 8mph (13kph) and 15mph (24kph)

for ideal training and always with the support of a helper.

• Place your kite on the ground with the bridle (‘Camera Kite’ printed side) facing down and with

the nose of your kite facing upwind.

• Install the reel support strap correctly across your left shoulder and under your right arm.

Camera Kite Deployment

• Attach the kite line which is already installed on your kite line reel by opening up the clip

situated on the beginning of the kite line and afﬁ x the clip to the metal bridle ring which is

attached to your kite, then close the clip again. (Important)

• Have the helper walk your kite downwind for at least 20 metres (65 feet) or more while you let

out the line from the reel.

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Manual 25

• Lock the reel with the reel ratchet lock device (by twisting the rotary knob clockwise to position

‘L’ as indicated on the reel) once the helper is ready to launch your kite.

• Have the helper stand behind your kite facing the wind direction while holding the nose of your

kite upwards.

Camera Kite Deployment

• Hold the reel in a secure way before you give your helper the sign to let go of your kite.

• In light winds your kite may be reluctant to climb, walking further backwards upwind will help to

drive your kite upwards until it gets to a higher position with steadier and stronger winds where

it will then ﬂ y safely and stably.

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Manual 27

• If the wind conditions and the terrain allow you to ﬂ y your kite at a higher altitude (more than 20

metres / 65 feet), place your left thumb on the reel ratchet brake device and push it ﬁ rmly before

you unlock the reel ratchet lock device (by twisting the rotary knob counter-clockwise to position

‘R’ as indicated on the reel). Firmly hold the wind/unwind handle with your right hand while you

gently release the tension of the reel ratchet brake device as you unwind the reel to provide

more line length to your kite. Keep the left thumb on the reel ratchet brake device at all times

to slow down the unwinding to full stop before you lock the reel again by turning the reel ratchet

lock device (twist the rotary knob clockwise to position ‘L’ as indicated on the reel).

WARNING: If you fail to hold down the reel ratchet brake device and the reel ratchet is

unlocked, your kite can (and will in moderate to strong winds) quickly soar higher on

its own which could cause injury so ALWAYS remember to ﬁ rst, push the brake device

ﬁ rmly, second, unlock the reel ratchet lock device (by twisting the rotary knob counter-

clockwise to position ‘R’ as indicated on the reel) and third, release the pressure on the

brake device by a small amount so the line unwinds steadily.

Camera Kite Deployment

• When you are ready to reel your kite back in, simply leave the reel ratchet lock device in the

locked position (‘L’ as indicated on the reel) and use the wind/unwind handle to bring your kite

down. Note that your kite may become unstable when it comes within 20 metres (65 feet) of the

ground because the wind is often more turbulent at lower altitudes, especially when your kite is

being ﬂ own inland with obstacles such as trees, buildings or hills in the vicinity up to 800 metres

(2650 feet) away. When your kite becomes unstable, try to walk towards your kite (downwind)

whilst you keep reeling in the line until you can reach and securely take hold of the bridle line

with your gloved hand and then when the nose of your kite is within reach, take hold of that,

• Put your kite on the ground with the bridle (‘Camera Kite’ printed side) facing down and with the

nose of your kite facing upwind before you undo the clip from the metal bridle ring, then remove

the spreader spar from the spreader spar pockets but leave it in the two guiding loops before

you roll-up your kite and store it safely in the long lightweight kite storage bag.

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Manual 29

Solo launch in light to moderate breeze (without the stabiliser

and camera or smartphone being installed on your kite)

• Put your kite on the ground with the bridle (‘Camera Kite’ printed side) facing down and with the

nose of your kite facing upwind.

• Install the reel support strap correctly across your left shoulder and under your right arm.

Ensure your reel is locked with the reel ratchet lock device (by twisting the rotary knob

clockwise to position ‘L’ as indicated on the reel)

Camera Kite Deployment

• Attach the kite line which is already installed on your kite line reel by opening up the clip

situated on the beginning of the kite line and afﬁ x the clip to the metal bridle ring which is

attached to your kite, then close the clip again. (Important)

• Walk your kite downwind for at least 20 metres (65 feet) or more before you place your kite in

its launch position, the launch position has the nose of your kite facing downwind with the bridle

(‘Camera Kite’ printed side) facing up.

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Manual 31

• If the surface of the ground would be abrasive or unsuitable to lay down your kite on then it

would be recommended to put your kite against a smooth object with your kite pointing up,

supported by the smooth object at the back of your kite.

• Then unlock the reel with the reel ratchet lock device (by twisting the rotary knob counter-

clockwise to position ‘R’ as indicated on the reel) and walk backwards upwind as you are

feeding line to your kite while it is still laying on the ground or being supported against a smooth

object. When you have unwound at least 20 metres (65 feet) of line, lock the reel with the reel

ratchet lock device (by twisting the rotary knob clockwise to position ‘L’ as indicated on the reel).

Camera Kite Deployment

• Hold the reel in a secure way before you gently start to put some tension on the line by walking

slowly backwards upwind until you can see your kite raise up, then pull the line ﬁ rmly, using

the reel or pulling the line while wearing your protection gloves to launch your kite into the air.

In light winds your kite may be reluctant to climb, walking further backwards upwind will help to

drive your kite upwards until it gets to a higher position with steadier and stronger wind where it

will ﬂ y safely and stably.

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Manual 33