Makani Airborne Wind Turbine First Flight Demonstrates Power Generation and Autonomous Flight

Makani Power is developing Airborne Wind Turbines (AWT) to extract energy from the powerful, consistent winds at high altitudes. Makani’s AWT is a rigid wing that flies at altitudes between 300 and 600 meters. Turbines on the leading edge of the wing face into the wind as it flies and generate energy, which is transmitted to the ground along a tether. Makani AWTs will produce energy at an unsubsidized real cost competitive with coal-fired power plants, the current benchmark of the lowest cost source of power.

The wing flies in circles navigated by the autonomous controllers running on state of the art avionics system. Power is extracted by wing mounted rotors by slowing the wing down. Generated power is transmitted down the tether to the ground station. The bank of lights on the ground station is illuminated to dissipate excess power.

The Wing 7 programme is an 18-month project with quarterly milestones. This flight marks the completion of Makani’s third milestone and the halfway point of the project. Makani plans to demonstrate launching and landing to a perch and a full power curve compliant with IEC standards. Wing 7 has a wing span of 8 meters, weighs 58.4 kg and has a rated power of 20 kW.

This was the first flight of its kind to demonstrate both power generation and the autonomous flight modes needed for launching, landing and crosswind flight.

As the controls are refined and planned aerodynamic improvements are added, power generation will increase to the wing’s full capacity of 20 kW.

Sources: YouTube, Web Site