An interesting concept that will cost them a bucket full of money to bring to market.
The number of $ signs shown below is a rough guess.
How can I make a self-inflating balloon for emergencies? <- looks like the designer started here
Where does one find
ready-made Helium capsules (like those for a CO2 Seltzer Bottle/BB Gun)? You're not making them at home. Get yer wallet out... $$$$$$$
Then... Redesigning it to a greater lift capacity
sufficient to break the surface water adhesion (actually a
huge consideration, along with wetted monofilament line) to allow it to ascend skyward? $$$$$$$$
Electronics being
waterproofed to 130'? Okay... $
Electronics being
waterproofed to be deployed at
any depth and then go all blinky-blinky at the surface? If you must.... $$$$$$ (See? That means you're going to have to then
lift the entire electronics waterproofing
package skyward as well)
Obtaining some kind of lawyer induced voodoo variance from FAA regulations to allow this (compressed gas cylinder) to be shipped in passenger luggage? $$$$$$$$
I think his best market might be as a rental unit at the admission stand for a corn maze. Unless you go big,
a small wind will cause enough drag on the lightest of tether line that this will not float (anywhere near vertical) all that reliably. Depending upon quality of Helium, they might likely (SWAG) need a volume of 3 cubic feet to achieve reliable lift in a gentle breeze, altho their triangular kite (lifting body) concept makes "some" sense. (Ooops: In reference to
breaking surface adhesion, as I wrote above, it's much easier to achieve that with a
rounded surface, much much harder with a flat (kite-like flat triangle) side as they describe for future versions)
The market for these is very narrow and limited. First consideration:
These are designed as a personally carried device. They are useful only for elevating a "rescue panel" above a sight line. Maybe good if you could get it to float skyward through a triple canopy tree coverage. Otherwise, you would simply unfold that 6x6' sheet of orange mylar that you bought for $1.
The blinking LED light is only useful if you are wealthy enough to get the USCG to bother to initiate an aerial search for you at night- they're
the only ones that have IR capability good enough to see it. A little blinky light means nothing from a searching dive boat. (A $3 surplus IR marker tossed in the ground will be detected by SAR thru tree coverage)
You could prolly get some SCUBA divers to buy them. Other than that, not sure why anyone else would want or need them. Everyone else has a cell phone and can fairly well describe where they have come to grief. (revert to 6x6 orange panel marker as above. If SAR is close enough to see this balloon, they can hear your whistle.
They should quickly get another video as he promised. It's hard to take anyone seriously that holds an IPhone vertically, even if it was the best camera angle for the quickie video.
