Gallery: Throwback Thursday: 100 Years Ago, Drone Cameras Soared on Kites 2,000 Feet High

  • Image may contain Building and Architecture
    01

    6a34405v

    International Ballooning Contest, Aero Park, Chicago, July 4th, 1908.
  • Image may contain Landscape Outdoors Nature Scenery Aerial View Panoramic Urban and Weather
    02

    07823v

    San Francisco in ruins, shot with the Captive Airship, 2,000 feet above San Francisco Bay overlooking water front.
  • Image may contain Nature Landscape Outdoors and Scenery
    03

    07824v

    San Francisco in ruins, May 5th, 1906.
  • Image may contain Human Person Building Crowd Text and Architecture
    04

    6a34964v

    Welcome home of the general overseer, Rev. John Alex Dowie, Zion City, Ill, July 1904.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Soil Landscape Scenery Mountain Aerial View Land and Archaeology
    05

    6a34729r

    Gary Works, Indiana Steel Co., IN, 1908.
  • Image may contain Nature Landscape Outdoors Urban Scenery Building City Town and Metropolis
    06

    6a34659v

    Ruins of San Francisco from captive airship, 600 feet above Folsom between Fifth and Sixth Streets.
  • Image may contain Landscape Outdoors Nature Scenery Aerial View and Urban
    07

    6a34650v

    Ruins of San Francisco, 500 feet elevation above Hyde and Green Streets.
  • Image may contain Nature Weather Outdoors and Fog
    08

    6a34639r

    A fleet of ships entering Golden Gate, 1908.
  • Image may contain Landscape Outdoors Nature Scenery Aerial View Building and Urban
    09

    6a34605r

    University of Chicago, 1907.
  • Image may contain Landscape Outdoors Nature Scenery Land Water Ocean Sea Shoreline Aerial View Coast and Building
    10

    6a34575v

    Northwestern University, 1907.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Land Ocean Water Sea and Building
    11

    6a34542v

    El Pismo Beach, 1906.
  • Image may contain Landscape Outdoors Nature Scenery Aerial View Urban Town Building City Metropolis and Road
    12

    6a34519r

    View of New York City from the Times Building, 1906.
  • Image may contain Nature Landscape Outdoors Scenery and Aerial View
    13

    6a34495r

    A district of San Francisco spared by the fire, looking northeast from the Captive Airship at 2,200 feet, 1906.
  • Image may contain Urban Town Metropolis Building City Indoors Interior Design Train Transportation and Vehicle
    14

    6a34223v

    United States Army tournament, Grant Park, Chicago, July 4, 1910.
  • Image may contain Nature Landscape Outdoors Urban Scenery Building City Town Panoramic Water and Waterfront
    15

    6a34480v

    Berkeley, CA., looking east from the Captive Airship at 1,000 feet, Nov. 24, 1908.
  • Image may contain Human Person Crowd Architecture and Building
    16

    6a27794r

    Inauguration of President Theodore Roosevelt, March 4, 1905.
  • Image may contain Landscape Outdoors Nature Building Architecture Scenery Spire Steeple Tower and Aerial View
    17

    6a19872r

    Washington, D.C., 1905.
  • Image may contain Road Water and Waterfront
    18

    6a19610v

    Union Stock Yards, Chicago, Ill, 1907.
  • Image may contain Nature Landscape Outdoors Scenery Urban Town Building City Metropolis Aerial View Smoke and Fog
    19

    6a19587v

    San Francisco, 800 feet above 4th & Mission Streets, 1908.
  • Image may contain Landscape Outdoors Nature Scenery Aerial View Urban Town Metropolis Building City and Land
    20

    6a19567r

    Atlantic City, N.J., 800 feet above boardwalk, 1909.
Read More
‘Darth Vader’ Wants You to Know He Definitely Supports Flock Surveillance
Anthony Ralphs was frustrated by the San Diego City Council's support for Flock. He decided it would take something more than reasoned argument to get their attention.
Vittoria Elliott
The Best Early Labor Day Kitchen Deals for Busy Fall Days
With school and sports starting again, these discounts on Instant Pots, cookware, and coffee gear arrive right on time.
Kat Merck
Google’s Pixel 11 Pro Fold Is Better, but Not the Best
A polished update to Google’s foldable brings real improvements, but the price bump and rampant competition make it a tough sell.
Simon Hill
The US Just Recorded Its First 2 Measles Deaths This Year
The fatalities come amid declining vaccination rates and calls from President Donald Trump to split up the MMR vaccine.
Emily Mullin
The Supreme Court’s Mail-In Ballot Ruling Is a Step Toward Chaos in the Midterms
The Supreme Court has removed one roadblock from the Trump administration’s attempts to impose severe restrictions on voting.
David Gilbert
Apple Refreshes the Mac Mini and Mac Studio, Both With New AI-Ready Chips
Apple’s Mac Mini and Mac Studio have been tough to buy for months, but updated versions have arrived. Both include new chips optimized for AI, with the M6 Mac Mini getting a $200 price bump.
Luke Larsen
I Tested the Best Kitchen Composters and Food Recyclers—and Yes, Some of Them Stink
After years of smells, strange noises, and “tea,” these are the composters and food recyclers I’d actually recommend.
Kat Merck
The Best Car Phone Mounts Are Magnetic. Change My Mind
The best car phone holders keep your phone firmly in place while never getting in your line of sight. I took a dozen on road trips this summer to find the best.
Matthew Korfhage
The County Prosecutors Who Became ICE Informants
Illinois prosecutors shared defendants’ personal data with federal immigration agents without criminal warrants, public disclosure, or legislative oversight.
Aura Bogado
This Projector Is a Hole-in-One as a Golf Simulator, but Subpar for Anything Else
The Optoma GT2400HDR laser projector is great for setting up a driving range in your living room, but mediocre video quality makes it less appealing for home entertainment.
John Brandon
Border Wall Construction Threatens 6,000 Years of History on Private Lands
Archeologists are confronting an “unfathomable” loss as border wall construction is set to cut across ranches that are home to unique historical sites, many of which haven’t been fully studied.
Gabrielle Saulsbery
It Should Be Harder to Apply for a Job. No, Really
Thanks to a dwindling supply of open roles, “one-click” applications, and the rise of artificial intelligence, it’s easier than ever to apply for a job. We’re all paying the price.
Kate Taylor