Hot air ballooning as a hobby, has grown very popular over the past few years and because of advances in technology and materials, ballooning has become even cheaper and safer than ever before.

One of the most common hot air balloons used by hobbyists are one-man balloons, because they are small, light and cheaper to run. Also called cloudhoppers or hopper balloons, a one-man balloon as the name suggests holds one person, but instead of a balloon basket, the pilot is strapped into a harness that has a propane tank attached to it.

One-man balloons are usually much smaller than passenger balloons, ranging between 14,000 and 35,000 cubic feet in size, and the average time it can fly for can be up to 1.5 hours, depending on the weather and wind conditions.

Ideal for the hobbyist or professional balloonist, the one-man balloon is generally flown for recreational purposes, but many companies are now turning to them to provide a unique advertising platform, which is both cheaper to run and quicker to launch than a standard balloon.

Hot air ballooning has become very popular over the past three decades, and is now not only reserved for commercial use, but are accessible to hobbyists and companies looking for unique advertising platforms too.

This new found popularity is not just down to the truly remarkable experience of floating high above the ground, it is also due to the price dramatically falling, as the introduction of new technologies such as computer aided design and new materials cut manufacturing costs.

There are various sizes and shapes of hot air balloon from one man and hopper balloons, to commercial passenger balloons and even specially shaped balloons for advertising. The process of making a hot air balloon starts with the initial design.

The design is first created on a computer with special software, printed out and sent to the customer for approval. Once approved, the design is transferred to the computer controlled cutting table, where the design is cut out of special non-rip material.

The cut-out design is then sewn together using specially designed sewing machines that use unique stitches, which provide strength and durability as well as stability to the structure. The balloon or envelope as it is known in the business is then sent for final assembly, where the envelope is rigorously tested.

Once the balloon envelope has passed all of the safety and strength tests, it is sent to the customer and ready to take its maiden flight.

A one-man balloon or hopper balloon as they are commonly known are small hot air balloons that usually hold one person in a seat and harness similar to a parachute harness. The hopper balloon is typically flown for recreational purposes, but some companies use them for advertising as they are quicker to launch and cheaper to run than conventional hot air balloons.

Hopper balloons are generally smaller than commercial hot air balloons and range from 14,000 to 35,000 cubic feet. These balloons normally have a flight time of around 1.5 hours, though this depends and the weather conditions.

The hoppers seat has a steel frame around it where the propane tank is fitted; the burner is also located on the frame above the pilots head. The burner works in the same way as a commercial balloon, with the controls mounted on the bottom of the burner. The seat, harness and frame can be moved independently of the balloons envelope; this allows the pilot to swivel to any direction they need, to aid in flying and landing of the hot air balloon.