BalloonSpotters

BalloonSpotters is a field companion and growing community archive for anyone who enjoys spotting hot air balloons. Record a sighting while it is in front of you, add photographs from your camera or photo library, search the archive by registration, and explore recent balloon activity on the map. The idea is simple: every accurate sighting and genuine photograph can add something useful to the history of ballooning. BalloonSpotters is built to be quick in the field, careful with time and location data, and useful even when mobile signal is poor. FAST SIGHTING LOGS • Enter a balloon registration and choose Envelope, Tethered or Flying • Capture the time and GPS location automatically • Add an optional note and choose whether each log is public or private • Save a temporary local log if the registration is not visible, then complete it later • Filter your sighting history and export logs as CSV PHOTOGRAPH AND CONTRIBUTE • Take a photo with the in-app camera or choose one already on your device • Review registration, status and privacy before saving • Queue photos safely when offline and upload when you reconnect and sign in • Add useful archive photos even when date or location metadata is unavailable • See when your image was the first photograph contributed for a balloon in the archive SEARCH THE BALLOON ARCHIVE • Search by registration, country, year, type, manufacturer or tag • Browse photographs and open detailed balloon records • View manufacturer, type, year, serial number, tags, sighting totals and recent sightings • Keep searching the cached archive when you have no signal EXPLORE RECENT SIGHTINGS • View public sightings on a clustered map • Filter recent activity across 7, 30, 60 or 90 days • Open balloon details and photographs from map sightings • Browse the latest community photographs YOUR SPOTTING HISTORY Track your logs, balloons, photos, best day, most-spotted balloons and activity over time. BalloonSpotters also shows the difference your photographs have made to the archive. OFFLINE-FIRST You can keep logging as a guest without a connection. Local logs and queued photos remain on your device until you sign in and are online. PRIVACY AND OWNERSHIP Choose public or private for each log and photo. You keep ownership of the photographs and text you contribute. Your data is not used for advertising or tracking. BalloonSpotters is a shared historical record of ballooning. The better the information we contribute, the more useful that record becomes for everyone.