The Charvolant was an early 19th century invention of a carriage drawn entirely by kites. The inventor, George Pocock, had been interested in the power of kites since youth, experimenting first by attempting to move small objects such as rocks and then later using larger kites to transport people. For example, in 1824 he used a 9metre kite to lift his daughter 82metres in the air, and a year later his son successfully ascended a 60metre cliff in a chair.
Pocock now turned his attentions to moving loads, namely carriages filled with people. After much experimentation he determined that a small number of large kites would work, and he patented his invention of the Charvolant in 1826. Two kites on a single line between 457 and 459metres long was enough to pull the buggy at a considerable speed of 32km/h. The buggy was, however, exceptionally difficult to steer, which may account for why it never became popular. The driver would have to control both the kites and the wheels of the carriage through the pulling of various ropes and bars.
Three Charvolants embarked on a journey of 182km from Bristol to Marlborough and one kite-drawn buggy sailed passed the mail coach which was, at the time, the fastest mode of transport. On another occasion a Charvolant passed the carriage of the Duke of Gloucester, an event considered exceptionally rude, and so the occupants of the Charvolant had to stop and wait for the Duke to pass them again. Another benefit of the Charvolant was that it avoided tolls which were worked out by the number of horses a carriage had.