Methods and systems described herein relate to power generation control for an aerial vehicle. An example method may involve determining an asynchronous flight pattern for two or more aerial vehicles, where the asynchronous flight pattern includes a respective flight path for each of the two or more aerial vehicles; and operating each of the aerial vehicles in a crosswind flight substantially along its respective flight path, where each aerial vehicle generates electrical power over time in a periodic profile, and where the power profile of each aerial vehicle is out of phase with respect to the power profile generated by each of the other aerial vehicles.

A power generation apparatus and method comprises at least one gyroglider rotary wing flying at an altitude above the nap of the earth. A strong and flexible tether, connected to the gyroglider frame is pulled with a force generated by the rotary wing. The force is transmitted to a ground station that converts the comparatively linear motion of the tether being pulled upward with a lifting force. The linear motion is transferred to a rotary motion at the ground station to rotate an electrical generator. The tether is retrieved and re-coiled about a drum by controlling the gyroglider to fly down at a speed and lift force that permit recovery of the gyroglider at a substantially reduced amount of retrieval force compared to the lifting force during payout of the tether. Thus, the net difference in force results in a net gain of energy.

A system for electric power production from wind includes a glider having an airfoil, an on-board steering unit, a flight controller for controlling the steering unit, and a connection unit for a tether. The system further includes a ground station including a reel for the tether, a rotating electrical machine connected to the reel, and a ground station controller for controlling the reel and the rotating electrical machine. A master controller operates the system in at least first and second operation modes. In the first operation mode electric power is produced with the rotating electrical machine from rotation of the reel caused by reeling out the tether using a lift force generated upon exposure of the airfoil of the airborne glider to wind. In the second operation mode, the reel is driven by the rotating electrical machine, thereby reeling in the tether onto the reel.

A low energy consumption high-speed flight method, a wing ring mechanism, a flying saucer with wing rings, and a high-altitude power generation ring and an oppositely-pulling hovering-flight machine with the wing ring mechanism using the same are provided. The method enables the wing rings to tilt axially. The wing ring mechanism has the wing rings, a wing-ring rotating assembly, and wing-ring deflecting members each including a telescopic member and movable connecting members. The high-altitude power generation ring has the wing ring mechanism and cables. The wing ring mechanism is connected to the upper end of the cable that is connected to a part of a side of the wing ring mechanism; and the lower end of the cable is connected to a ground tie point. The oppositely-pulling hovering-flight machine uses two or two sets of aerostats or aircrafts that are respectively located in two airflows with opposite wind directions.

The exemplary embodiments herein provide an airborne power generation assembly comprising an airborne power generation unit, a submersible platform, an electrified tether winch attached to the submersible platform, an electrified tether connecting between the electrified tether winch and the airborne power generation unit, and a power output exiting from the submersible platform. Embodiments include an underwater docking station with a docking station tether connecting the submersible platform to the underwater docking station. The submersible platform or the underwater docking station may be anchored to the sea bed. Other embodiments include winches for the sea bed anchor tethers and docking station tether.

A method for operating a system for airborne wind energy production having a ground station, a glider with an airfoil, and a tether for connecting the glider with the ground station, which has an electrical rotary machine connected to a reel for storing excess length of tether. The method includes operating the system in a regular operating mode with repeated operation cycles. Each cycle includes a production phase with increasing free length of the tether and a reel-in phase with decreasing free length of the tether. The method further includes monitoring wind conditions and changing the operation of the system to a low wind operation mode when the monitored wind conditions drop below a predetermined lower wind condition threshold or to a high wind operation mode when the monitored wind conditions raise above a predetermined upper wind condition threshold. And, a system configured to operate in accordance with the method.

A low energy consumption high-speed flight method, a wing ring mechanism, a flying saucer with wing rings, and a high-altitude power generation ring and an oppositely-pulling hovering-flight machine with the wing ring mechanism using the same are provided. The method enables the wing rings to tilt axially. The wing ring mechanism has the wing rings, a wing-ring rotating assembly, and wing-ring deflecting members each including a telescopic member and movable connecting members. The high-altitude power generation ring has the wing ring mechanism and cables. The wing ring mechanism is connected to the upper end of the cable that is connected to a part of a side of the wing ring mechanism; and the lower end of the cable is connected to a ground tie point. The oppositely-pulling hovering-flight machine uses two or two sets of aerostats or aircrafts that are respectively located in two airflows with opposite wind directions.

An apparatus for extracting power includes a track and an airfoil coupled to the track. The track includes first and second elongate sections, where the first elongate section is positioned above the second elongate section. The airfoil is moveable in opposite directions when alternately coupled to the first elongate section and second elongate section.

An improved system for generating energy by exploiting wind at a height. The system comprising at least one generator placed on the ground and operatively connected to at least one device for capturing energy through at least one constraining element. The constraining element is designed to transfer mechanical energy generated, as traction force, from the device for capturing energy to the generator. Where the device is a non-constrained rotor, namely a rotor not connected to the constraining element, and is designed to convert wind energy at a height with the traction force having an intermediate direction between wind axis and a vertical line with respect to the ground.

A turbine system that harnesses energy from natural atmospheric wind and water currents for power generation and storage in a power storage mode, and in a reverse switched operation, sources current to the turbine system from storage power to function in a propulsion mode to propel an associated structure (e.g., boat, aircraft).