On the Take-off of Airborne Wind Energy Systems Based on Rigid Wings
For developers of airborne wind energy systems, this work provides a comparative analysis of take-off methods, though the findings are incremental and confirm existing concepts.
The paper analyzes three take-off approaches for rigid-wing airborne wind energy systems, comparing them on technical and economic criteria. The linear take-off with on-board propellers is identified as most viable, with simulations confirming its power requirements.
The problem of launching a tethered aircraft to be used for airborne wind energy generation is investigated. Exploiting well-assessed physical principles, an analysis of three different take-off approaches is carried out. The approaches are then compared on the basis of quantitative and qualitative criteria introduced to assess their technical and economic viability. Finally, a deeper study of the concept that is deemed the most viable one, i.e. a linear take-off maneuver combined with on-board propellers, is performed by means of numerical simulations. The latter are used to refine the initial analysis in terms of power required for take-off, and further confirm the viability of the approach.