Come on, Chinese lanterns?

They anger farmers, concern coastguards and are often mistaken for UFOs – but Chinese lanterns are flying off the shelves and into the skies above the West Midlands as their popularity soars. Major stores in the region reported selling hundreds of the lanterns a day in the run-up to New Year, Christmas and Bonfire Night while they are also being released regularly at weddings and even funerals. The lights, like mini hot air balloons composed of flame, paper and wire, can travel 30 miles. Discount giant Poundland said today it had sold tens of thousands of the lanterns in the run-up to the festive period. John Sheppard, manager of the branch in Wolverhampton’s Mander Centre, said: “There is huge demand as soon as they come into stock, we were selling literally hundreds a day.

SOURCE

Looks like in the UK they are a hit. Can't see why they wouldn't be as popular anywhere else...

In 2008, the Doncaster-based firm sold 29,000 Chinese lanterns, rising to 100,000 last year, with sales peaking in July.

SOURCE

reply to post by Lost_Mind


They are not lanterns , they are LED lit RC planes , see my post bottom of page one

Originally posted by gortex
reply to post by Lost_Mind

 

They are not lanterns , they are LED lit RC planes , see my post bottom of page one

You don't find those planes in a cluster like that, they are lanterns - you couldn't get more typical footage.

reply to post by gortex

I see it now. I was too busy putting together sources and missed your post. Yep, you nailed it. Why don't people get off their lawn chairs and off the side of the road and chase what they are seeing down instead of numbly rolling video from miles away? I'd be haulin' ass towards these things if it were me...

As far as lanterns go, if a small company in Britain can turn loose of 100,000 of these lanterns a year just how many are being released in 2011 worldwide? Really, if it looks like a lantern and acts like a lantern it more than likely is a lantern.

reply to post by starchild10


Video 1 has already been established as lanterns , the OP has conceded that , the OP turned the discussion to video 2 stating that they are not lanterns , which they are not .

Post by Swills
Oh well, time to focus on video # 2, which definitely aren't lanterns

Video 2 contains footage of RC LED lit planes