Inflatable single-line kite

Although Francis Rogallo's early kite patents had ram-air members in the claims, Domina Jalbert's parafoil ram-air wing, patented in 1944, emphatically changed the kite airscape for inflatable kites.

The shape is loosely derived from an airfoil with air inlets usually at the front, and a bridle which distributes the tether line loads evenly across the whole base of the kite.

The immense strength of synthetic fabrics allows the creation of non-rigid three-dimensional shapes which hold their shape because the pressure of the air inside the kite is slightly higher than the pressure outside.

As with hot air balloons, artistic creativity is often applied, so that fish, cats, and many other animals and characters are depicted.

Sizes range from 2 m in length to 65 m. The world's largest kites are inflatable single-line kites designed and made by New Zealand kitemaker Peter Lynn.