More people cast their eyes toward the skies

For hot air balloonists, the joy of a one-hour flight sometimes is diluted by a long wait for approvals from authorities. But as restrictions continue to ease on low-altitude airspace use, enthusiasts see an exciting future ahead.

In China, balloonists must apply to fly in advance. After getting approvals from the military and government authority that is in charge of the relevant airspace, pilots can fly their planned balloon routes.

Wu Gongyu, director of the ballooning commission of the Aero Sports Federation of China, says restrictions including altitude limitations have slowed the growth of the sport in recent years.