Editing History of aviation (section)

===Hot air balloons===
{{Main|Hot air balloon}}

Since ancient times, the Chinese understood that hot air rises and applied the principle to a type of small [[hot air balloon]] called a [[sky lantern]]. A sky lantern consists of a paper balloon under or just inside which a small lamp is placed. Sky lanterns are traditionally launched for recreation and during festivals. According to [[Joseph Needham]], such lanterns were found in China since the 3rd century BC. Their military use is attributed to the general [[Zhuge Liang]] (180–234 AD), who is said to have used them to scare the enemy troops.{{sfn|Deng|Wang|2005|p=113}}

There is evidence that the Chinese also "solved the problem of aerial navigation" using balloons, hundreds of years before the 18th century.{{sfn|Ege|1973|p=6}}