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US 10,518,876 B2Granted
Offshore wind kite with seafloor mooring
AssigneeMakani Technologies LLC
InventorsBrian Hachtmann, Fort Felker, Charles Nordstrom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for operating aerial vehicles in water-based locations. The systems and methods include a plurality of landing stations. Each landing station of the plurality of landing stations is coupled to at least one of: another landing station or an underwater mooring point. The systems and methods also include an aerial vehicle coupled to a tether mooring point by a tether. The aerial vehicle is configured to land on at least one landing station of the plurality of landing stations.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a plurality of landing stations, wherein each landing station of the plurality of landing stations is coupled to at least one of:
- another landing station or an underwater mooring point;
- and
- an aerial vehicle coupled to a tether mooring point by a tether, wherein at least three landing stations of the plurality of landing stations are arranged about the tether mooring point with a 120 degree azimuth spacing between adjacent landing stations, wherein the aerial vehicle is configured to land on at least one landing station of the at least three landing stations arranged about the tether mooring point.
1 more element
A system comprising:
- an aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle is coupled to a tether mooring point by a tether, wherein the tether mooring point is underwater;
- and
- a controller that:
- selects a landing station from a plurality of landing stations, wherein each landing station of the plurality of landing stations is coupled to at least one of:
- another landing station or an underwater mooring point;
- and
- causes the aerial vehicle to land at the selected landing station.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving information about at least one of:
- one or more landing stations within a plurality of landing stations as a possible landing location for an aerial vehicle or a flight condition of the aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle is coupled to an underwater tether mooring point by a tether;
- based on the received information, selecting a landing station from the plurality of landing stations as a target landing location;
- and
- causing the aerial vehicle to land at the target landing location.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.