2. Significance of Releasing Sky
Lanterns
• Many people believe that they will release
their problems and fears.
• Wishes are usually written on the lantern.
– Sending one’s written wishes upwards to be
blessed by divine forces
– Many Taiwanese believe in releasing a
personalised lantern with their wishes to begin
the new year on a high.
3. Significance of Releasing Sky
Lanterns
• In Asia and elsewhere: Sky lanterns have been
traditionally made for centuries for…
– play/part of festivities
• In some areas in Taiwan like Pingshi: Lighting up
a lantern meant, ‘We are Safe, unharmed and
untouched'.
– Besieged by robbers and murderers passage into
this area became almost impossible.
• People knew if their friends and family were safe when
they saw the remote kind of sky lanterns lit and in the sky
from where they were.
4. What happens to the sky lanterns once they are
released?
• They fly in whichever direction the wind
blows continue to fly till their fuel pad
runs out.
• When lit, the flame heats the gas inside the
lantern, lowering the density of the gas in
the lantern create a convection current
5. What happens to the sky lanterns once they are
released?
• Airborne for as long as the flame stays alight
– When set alight, the hot air propels the paper
creation to over 500m, or as high as Taipei 101,
Taiwan’s iconic skyscraper. (convection current)
– Under calm conditions, sky lanterns can rise up
1000s of feet in the air before disappearing as a
tiny speck in the distant horizon.
• After 5-8 minutes airborne, the sky lantern
falls to the ground.
6. Concerns on the Effects of Sky Lanterns on the
Environment: Fire hazard
• May land when the flame is not burnt
completely on flammable vegetation/crops or
buildings
– May cause a fire
• Paper will not get hot enough to ignite IF the
lantern stays upright.
– If the balloon is tilted: by rough winds/by hitting an
object it may catch fire while it is still in the air.
• (The paper will usually burn out in a few seconds, but the flame
source may remain lit posing as a threat)
7. Concerns on the Effects of Sky Lanterns on the
Environment: Threat to wildlife
• Leftover thin wire frame of lantern:
– Rusts away very slowly create a hazard to
animals who may swallow it.
8. Concerns on the Effects of Sky Lanterns on the
Environment: Threat to Airline Industry
• Obstruct aircraft: if there are many in front
of the plane
– Sky lanterns are carried by the wind as high as
1,800 metres.
• Might be sucked into an aircraft's engines
cause the plane to catch fire and explode in
mid-air.
• Several countries have banned them for that reason.
9. Concerns on the Effects of Sky Lanterns on the
Environment: Action taken
• 1 legal area for the release of sky lanterns: A
mountainous region at the Pingxi district in northern
Taiwan
– Lanterns can be released near the mountains at any time
in Pingsi, Shifen or Jing-tong townships or anywhere
along the Pingsi branch line.
– Mountain ranges said to provide a natural screen to
keep the sky lanterns from straying beyond the area.
– Lower risk of fire: Pingxi experiences rain about 200
days a year and its relative humidity is over 75 per cent.
– Releasing of sky lanterns is not allowed in the cities.
10. Concerns on the Effects of Sky Lanterns on the
Environment: Action taken
• In 2009, Sky Orbs Chinese Lanterns (British
company) developed non-metal lanterns:
– Using bio-degradable fireproof rope in place of
wire
• Other European manufacturers now use a similar
design
• In 2012, Sky Orbs Chinese Lanterns released a
patented design: with a fireproof base to combat the
reports of fires caused by lanterns
11. How would weather elements affect the movement of
sky lanterns?
• Movement reliant on weather conditions:
– Clear & fine weather, light wind & no rain
• Wind: These lanterns catch the wind and fly in
whichever direction it blows.
• Rain: Not advisable to release sky lanterns when
raining
• Under calm conditions:
– Sky lanterns can rise up 1000s of feet in the air
before disappearing as a tiny speck
12. Precautions for launching sky lanterns:
1. Ensure that the wind is very light : 7 miles per hour or below is suitable
2. Launch in a large clear space: away from trees, power lines and buildings.
•
Do not use Sky Lanterns within 5 miles of an airport.
3. Ensure that when launched, your sky lanterns do not fly towards
buildings, trees, airports, roads or any area they may pose a danger.
4. Ensure that all spectators stand upwind of the people launching the Sky
Lanterns.
5. Advisable to have a bucket of water or some sand close by in case of
emergency.
6. Sky Lanterns should only be launched by a responsible Adult.
7. Do not use during prolonged periods of dry weather.
8. Do not launch torn or damaged Sky Lanterns.
9. Do not Launch Sky Lanterns if the glow could be misinterpreted as a
distress signal.
10. Read all safety instructions carefully before launching Sky Lanterns.
13. How does Singapore manage her
airspace?
• Singapore's remote sensing bird
– The ST Electronics remote sensing satellite, TeLEOS-1
• Satellite images can be used for homeland security: helps RSAF
keep Singapore's air space clear of aerial intruders 24/7
• Designed to orbit around the equator
– At an orbital height of about 550km
• Provides satellite images update rate of 90 minutes,
• Satellite images of 1 metre ground sampling distance from an
electro-optics camera, with 1 metre resolution already available
from commercial remote sensing companies
*RSAF needs to have a core group of trained professionals to operate the satellite
