Box kite
High-lift cellular kite invented by Lawrence Hargrave in 1893.
The box kite is a high-performance kite within the family of cellular kites, noted for developing relatively high lift. Its typical design features four parallel struts made rigid with diagonal crossed struts, and two sails whose width is about a quarter of the length of the box. The box kite was invented in 1893 by Lawrence Hargrave, an English-born Australian, as part of his attempt to develop a manned flying machine.
- inventor
- Lawrence Hargrave
- year_invented
- 1893
- nationality
- English-born Australian
- field
- Aeronautics / Kite design
- known_for
- Inventing the box kite and linking multiple cells to achieve manned flight
Lore & Background
Lawrence Hargrave invented the box kite in 1893 while working toward a manned flying machine. He linked several of his box kites, called Hargrave cells, together and created sufficient lift to fly some 16 ft (4.9 m) off the ground. A winged development of this kite is known as the Cody kite, following its development by Samuel Franklin Cody. Military uses included a kite/radio transmitter combination issued to pilots during World War II for use in liferafts.
Reader's Guide
The box kite's significance lies in its high lift and stability, which enabled early manned flight experiments and practical applications. After Hargrave's invention, weather stations around the world, including Blue Hill Observatory and the German weather station at Lindenberg, used box kites routinely until weather balloons took over in the 1920s and 1930s. Most altitude records for kite flying are held by large box kites with Dacron sails flown with Spectra cable. Before modern materials, high-performance box kites used oiled silk, linen, or hemp sails and steel cable. The design remains influential: future attempts on kite altitude records may use Hargrave box kites or variants. In 2014, a delta kite with a triangular box center cell reached 16,009 ft near Cobar in Western NSW, Australia, showing the continued relevance of the box kite concept.
Did You Know?
- The box kite was invented in 1893 by Lawrence Hargrave, an English-born Australian.
- Hargrave linked several box kites together to lift himself 16 ft (4.9 m) off the ground.
- During World War II, a box kite/radio transmitter combination was issued to pilots for use in liferafts.
- Most altitude records for kite flying are held by large box kites with Dacron sails and Spectra cable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented the box kite and when?
Lawrence Hargrave, an English-born Australian, created the box kite in 1893. He was working in the field of aeronautics and kite design at the time.
What does a box kite actually look like?
It has four parallel struts braced by diagonal crossed struts, with two sails attached whose width is roughly a quarter of the box's overall length. This cellular, cage-like structure gives it its name.
Why did Hargrave develop the box kite?
He was trying to build a manned flying machine and needed a kite that could generate significantly more lift than earlier designs. The box kite was his solution to producing that extra upward force.
What made the box kite different from other kites of its era?
It was a high-performance cellular kite that produced relatively high lift for its size. Hargrave also demonstrated that multiple box cells could be linked together to scale up the lift even further.
What was the box kite's biggest real-world achievement?
Hargrave used linked box-kite cells to achieve a form of manned flight, essentially suspending himself from the array and being lifted off the ground. This made it one of the earliest practical steps toward powered human flight.
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