How Spy Balloons Became a Popular Aerial Surveillance Device | WSJ

A suspected Chinese spy balloon and three unidentified flying objects were shot down over the U.S. and Canada in recent weeks.

The U.S. has been using balloons for aerial surveillance since the Civil War. An aeronautics historian explains the history of spy balloons and why countries still use them today.

Graphic: Miki Katoni

0:00 Spy balloons have been around for centuries
0:37 How balloons were used to spy on enemy troops in the Civil War
1:09 World War I balloons helped direct artillery
2:09 K-ships used for antisubmarine warfare in World War II
2:57 High-altitude balloons used to photograph Soviet territory in the Cold War
3:43 So why use balloons when we have satellites?

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