16 January 2025
Kite as a Sensor: Wind and State Estimation in Tethered Flying Systems
BRIEF NEWS
New scientific paper released by TU Delft demonstrates that kites can act as reliable sensors for atmospheric wind conditions
“Kite as a Sensor: Wind and State Estimation in Tethered Flying Systems” is the new paper released by TU Delft. The preprint was published in the Wind Energy Science journal. This study introduces an advanced sensor fusion approach using an Iterated Extended Kalman Filter to enhance Airborne Wind Energy Systems (AWES).
The research was conducted as part of the MERIDIONAL project and focuses on accurately estimating wind conditions directly at the kite, while improving precision in system dynamics such as kite orientation, tether shape, and aerodynamic forces. The findings were validated using unique lidar data from RWE’s AWES test site in Bangor Erris, Ireland. The study demonstrates that kites can act as reliable sensors for atmospheric wind conditions, contributing to the efficiency and reliability of AWES.
The research was carried out in collaboration with Kitepower, a key MERIDIONAL partner, who provided high-quality datasets essential for validating the method. This partnership highlights the importance of industry-academia collaboration in driving innovation in renewable energy technologies.
The preprint of the “Kite as a Sensor: Wind and State Estimation in Tethered Flying Systems” is now available in Wind Energy Science and on the resources section of the MERIDIONAL website.
Cover photo credits: Kitepower