by Colonel Aimé Laussedat, in French.

 

These papers are issued from Laussedat's conferences at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in 1902.

First publication was in the Annales du Conservatoire, 3rd serie, volume 4. Besides, all conferences of A. Laussedat were collected in one work. The first issue was in 1898 and titled "Aperçu historique sur les instruments et les méthodes, la topographie dans tous les temps". It has been re-printed in 1901. In fact it was the first volume of the entire Laudessat's work . The second volume, first part, was issued in 1900 and titled "Iconométrie et métrophotographie". The second part (volume 2-2) was issued in 1903 and titled "Développement et progrès de la métrophotographie à l'étranger et en France". The whole was reprinted at this time with the general title "Recherches sur les instruments, les méthodes et  le dessin topographique".

These two papers are an artificial partition by myself and the texts are in both the Annales and in the last volume (Volume 2-2).

 

The "Photographie en ballon" runs from chapter XXIV to XXXII and from page 163 to 200 in the Annales (157 to 194 in volume 2-2).

It describes the use and possibilities of balloons in different landscapes.

 

The "Photographie par cerf-volant" runs from chapter XXXIII to XXXIV from page 200 to 214 in the Annales (194 to 208 in volume 2-2). In fact this paper is the story of the invention by A. Batut and the following experiments and improvements by Batut and E. Wenz. The description is well documented and illustrated. Laussedat had a great respect and admiration for these two pioneers.

 

These are historic documentation! Laussedat himself never experimented aerial photography neither from balloon nor from kite.