System and methods for controlling the oscillation of floating ground stations in aerial wind turbine systems are disclosed. Thrusters on the ground station or on one or more aerial vehicles associated with the ground station apply a compensatory force to the oscillating ground station to reduce and/or substantially eliminate wave-induced oscillations. Submerged thrusters may also rotate the ground station to a preferred alignment direction with the waves. Additionally, control systems use environmental and/or positional sensor data to develop a predictive force profile that maps desired compensatory force magnitude versus time. The control systems use that predictive force profile to direct the thrusters to apply a varying compensatory force over time.

A wind-driveable wing construction (30) which comprises a tether line (40), which is designed to connect the wing construction to a ground station (10) during operation, and one end of the tether line (40) being attached to the wing construction; and a bridle line system comprising a multiplicity of bridle lines (70, 71). At least two bridle lines having an end connected to the wing construction and at least one bridle line has an end connected to the tether line (40). The bridle line system is detachably connected to the tether line, during operation. The tether line (40) has a first sleeve (130) which is attached to the tether line, the bridle line system has a second sleeve (120), to which the at least one bridle line (70, 71) is connected. A capture cable is passed through the second sleeve, and the sleeves are designed to form a detachable connection.

The present disclosure relates to an aerial vehicle with a horizontal tailplane disposed along a bottom edge of a vertical tailfin. Namely, the aerial vehicle includes an empennage attached to the fuselage via a tail boom and a tail coupling. The empennage includes a vertical tailfin that extends below the tail coupling. The empennage also includes a tube arranged along a leading edge of the vertical tailfin and below the tail coupling of the aerial vehicle. The empennage additionally includes one or more rotating actuators and a horizontal tailplane. The horizontal tailplane is coupled to the tail via the tube and includes a continuous leading edge and a cutout. The one or more rotating actuators are configured rotate the horizontal tailplane about an axis of the tube. At least a portion of the vertical tailfin is configured to pass through the cutout.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods related to electric power transfer between an aerial vehicle of an airborne wind turbine and a power grid. An example power conversion system may include power converters, a DC bus connecting the power converters to the aerial vehicle, and an AC bus connecting the power converters to the power grid. The power converters may be configured to provide AC/DC power conversion between the aerial vehicle and the power grid. The power conversion system may also include switches operable to either (i) electrically connect a respective power converter to the DC bus or electrically isolate the respective power converter from the DC bus. The power conversion system may also include one or more power supplies that can be connected to the DC bus to provide backup power in the event a power converter or the power grid malfunctions.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide wind harvesting systems and methods using crosswind power kites and methods for launching crosswind power kites into wing-borne flight, for generating electricity through such flights, and for landing or retrieving such crosswind power kites.

An electric power generating apparatus includes: a cage rotating around a cage axis and including a cage shaft; a plurality of turbines located within the cage, wherein each of the plurality of turbines includes one or more turbine blades and a turbine shaft, and is configured by two end points to fully rotate in a 360-degree circular path around a respective turbine axis different from the cage axis; and an electric power generating motor coupled to the cage shaft, wherein the motor is configured to convert kinetic energy to electric energy, from rotation of the cage around the cage axis.

The exemplary embodiments herein provide a tether for use with an airborne device, where the tether contains an elongate member having a first end for attaching to a ground attachment point and an opposing second end for attaching to the airborne device where the elongate member has a cross-sectional area which varies across the member. In some embodiments, the tether contains one or more electrically conductive elements, an optional strength element, insulation separating any adjacent electrically conductive elements, and a jacket which surrounds and protects each of the tether components.

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.

The present invention is a variable geometry aircraft that is capable of morphing its shape from a symmetric cross-section buoyant craft to an asymmetric lifting body and even to a symmetric zero lift configuration. The basic structure is a semi rigid airship with movable longerons. Movement of the longerons adjusts the camber of the upper and/or lower surfaces to achieve varying shapes of the lifting-body. This transformation changes both the lift and drag characteristics of the craft to alter the flight characteristics. The transformation may be accomplished while the craft is airborne and does not require any ground support equipment.

Operating method for a system for airborne wind energy production, said system comprising a ground station, an airworthy glider with an airfoil, and a tether for connecting said glider with said ground station, said system being constructed and arranged for airborne wind energy production using lift generated by said airfoil exposed to wind, wherein a first operating phase of increasing free length of tether including flying said glider away from said ground station is repeatedly alternated with a second operating phase of decreasing free length of tether including flying said glider towards said ground station. The operating method according to the invention is characterized in that wind conditions are monitored, wherein at wind conditions below a predetermined minimum condition, said glider is pulled towards said ground station via said tether during at least a part of said second operating phase, thereby increasing velocity of said glider, wherein additional velocity is used to raise altitude of said glider during the following second operating phase.