Predicting the wind at altitude where the kite actually flies is a big challenge for airborne wind energy. Traditional methods using ground level readings don’t take the wind’s speed gradient and directional change at altitude into account, which often leads to inaccurate wind estimations. TU Delft researcher Oriol Cayón is addressing this with a sensor fusion approach that allows kites to measure and interpret the wind in real time.

Kite as a Sensor: Wind Estimation

The method combines onboard measurements such as kite motion, tether tension, and aerodynamic forces with a dynamic system model using an Extended Kalman Filter. The result is accurate estimation of wind speed and direction at flight altitude, along with insights into the kite’s behavior and system state in real time. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on ground-based sensors, this approach lets the kite act as its own airborne weather station.

LiDAR Validation

To validate the method, the estimations were compared with lidar measurements from Kitepower’s test site in Bangor Erris, Ireland.The agreement of these results across varying conditions confirm that kites themselves can serve as reliable sensors of the wind environment, providing accurate real time measurements.

The Impact for Kitepower

This real-time wind estimation has important implications for Kitepower systems. It enables more precise flight control, safer operation in changing conditions, and a better understanding of how the system responds to gusts and turbulence. This leads to more optimized and automated flights, increasing its efficiency, reliability and power output by adjusting its flight as conditions change in real time.

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