Answer some questions about the Pico balloon

When the US Air Force shot down suspected Chinese spy balloons a few weeks ago, it was widely reported that one of the targets could have been a much more innocuous amateur radio device. The so-called K9YO pico balloon was a helium-filled Mylar balloon carrying a tiny, solar-powered WSPR beacon, and it abruptly disappeared at the same place and time the USAF claimed one of its targets. When we covered the story, it generated a lot of comments both for and against balloonists, so maybe it's worth coming back with a high-altitude balloon expert's perspective. .

[Dave Akerman] has been kicking things around for a long time now, we think he may have been one of the first to put a Raspberry Pi in the air back in 2012. In his blog post , it attempts to answer frequently asked questions about pico balloons, their legality, whether they need to carry a beacon, and what's the difference between these balloons and the type of latex "weather balloon" we know. It's worth reading as not all of us are part of the high altitude balloon community and so it's good to educate yourself.

In the meantime, you can read our original report here.