Kite(device),wind-supportedflyingdeviceconsistingofawoodenorsimilarframeworkcoveredwithpaper,cloth,orsyntheticmaterial.Akiteisarudimentaryairfoil;itcanbeflownforpleasureorforpurposesofstudy.Attachedtoalongstring,itcanbesentaloftthroughtheactionofthewindonitssurfaces.Itsdistanceorheightiscontrolledfromthegroundbyplayingoutthestring.KitesareofancientoriginandwereflownbyvariousAsianpeoplesandtheancientEgyptians.Todaykiteflyingisapopularpastimeandacompetitivesport.IneasternAsia,specialcompetitionsareheldinwhichthekitesareelaboratelydesignedanddecoratedintheformsofbirds,fish,ordragonsandmaybeequippedwithwhistlesorpipesthatemitmusicalsoundsasthewindblowsthroughthem.Kite-fightingcontestsarealsoheld,inwhichcompetitorsattempttousetheirkitestoattackanddownthekitesofopponents.
Kiteshavebeenemployedforpracticalpurposesaswellasforpleasure.AmericandiplomatandscientistBenjaminFranklinexperimentedwithkitestoinvestigateatmosphericelectricity,andkitestudieswerealsomadebytheAmericanphysicistandinventorAlexanderGrahamBell.Beginninginthe1890sandcontinuingforabout40years,boxkites,consistingoftwoormoreconnectedopen-endedboxes,wereusedforsendingmeteorologicinstrumentsalofttomeasurewindvelocity,temperature,barometricpressure,andhumidity.Inthelate19thandearly20thcenturies,kiteswereusedforliftingmilitaryobserverstoheightsfromwhichtheycouldobservethedispositionofenemyforces.DuringWorldWarII(1939-1945),kiteswerealsousedasgunnerytargets.Present-dayapplicationsincludetheiruseassignalsinair-sea-rescueoperations.