https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/651668573/rescue-me-balloon
Rescue Me Balloon is a compact, easy-to-carry canister that places an SOS balloon 150 feet above a person for a week and illuminates an SOS signal using an LED light. It can be used for emergencies or for recreation. Essentially, it’s a flare that lasts a week.
In detail, Rescue Me Balloon is a cylindrical canister, similar to a lightsaber. It is Coast Guard Orange in color, about 6 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter and weighs about a quarter of a pound. The canister is easy to hold, and has a hoop for a clip for attaching to a belt, backpack, or life jacket, with glow-in-the-dark reflective tape to make it easy to find at night.
Inside the canister at the bottom is a small helium tank attached to a deflated and folded inflatable balloon. Also attached to the balloon is a 150 feet of monofilament string with a super-bright LED connected to small circuit board. In the Emergency Version, the circuit board is programmed to flash an SOS signal; in the Recreational Version, it is programmed to be a solid light. All of this is sealed inside the canister by a cap at the top with an O-Ring installed, making a water-tight seal when closed.
Their website is http://wwwrescuemeballoon.com.
Has anyone used one of these in NZ?
The kickstarter project is raising funds to put them into production, they aren’t available yet.