[ancientworldnow]

A regular hot air balloon can cost 200-400k and this is substantially larger with more lift capability and had presumably expensive payload and propulsion. Worldview spent millions of dollars on a substantially smaller balloon that granted is capable of a few miles higher flight with less payload.

[iancmceachern]

Not really, a regular hot air balloon usually costs 20-40k, a crazy fancy shaped balloon ised for advertising will maybe push 100.