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.