First Looks

City Portraits | Kites | Rockets | Pigeons | Balloons

City Portraits

Early interest in the aerial view took the form of idealized sketches depicting how cities would look if viewed from above. In the 19th century, towns all across the U.S. commissioned these "bird's-eye view" drawings.

Kites

In 1895, Lt. Hugh D. Wise of the 9th Infantry Division experimented with photo kites at Madison Barracks, New York. He built an 18-foot high kite and attached a box camera to the string. Triggered by a timing device, the camera took photos from an altitude of 180 meters (600 feet). (43k jpg)
Courtesy of Defense Visual Information Center

A Bird's Eye View

First Looks-Rockets