This a rad, a Belgian Star Wards fan, Benoît Lambert got permission (and made) a Darth Vader hot air balloon!

Lucasfilm gave its approval for Lambert to have the balloon built with his own funds, using one of the most recognizable characters in cinema, as long as the balloon was not used for commercial pursuits. “We contacted Cameron — the world’s largest manufacturer of hot air balloons — and a Darth Vader helmet replica was sent to their engineers to help them recreate every detail,” Lambert recalls. “A vector file representing the Vader helmet in 3-D was also sent to the engineers. Once the first draft was in our hands, several shape and color modifications were discussed and made in order to be sure that the balloon would look as much as possible like the real Darth Vader helmet. Colors were chosen to optimize 3-D effects once the balloon is in flight. For aesthetic reasons, grey shades around the face are slightly different from the official shape.”

Dark Lord of the Sky: Homemade Darth Vader balloon – [via] Link.