Highest altitude reached by a single kite

What to remember

On September 23, 2014, a team led by Robert Moore flew a kite to 4,880 m above ground level. The kite used for the attempt had a surface of 12 m².

The height is counted from the ground, not from sea level: only the distance between the team on the ground and the kite in flight goes into the record.

A kite is a tethered heavier-than-air craft whose wing surfaces react against the air to create lift and drag. As air moves around the kite, pressure drops above the wings and rises below them, and that lift keeps it aloft while the wind also pulls it horizontally. Shapes vary, from the delta to the diamond, and many designs carry a bridle and a tail to keep the face of the kite turned towards the wind. The craft takes its name from the kite, a bird of prey known for hovering.