US 11,806,636 B1Granted

Controllable kite configuration

AssigneeUnited States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

InventorsGeoffrey Bland, Joseph Bretthauer, Ted Miles, Kay Rufty, Douglas Stout, Richard Cairncross

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Abstract

Embodiments may provide a kite system that incorporates a highly efficient lifting surface combined with aerodynamic control surfaces while using only a single tether. Such a kite having a lifting surface combined with aerodynamic control surfaces while using only a single tether may be referred to as a “controllable kite”. Embodiments may include a controllable kite configured to operate aloft connected to only a single tether, the kite including a lifting surface that is heavier-than-air, an aerodynamic surface control system configured to adjust an attitude of the lifting surface while the kite is aloft, and an attachment point connecting the single tether to the kite.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A kite system, comprising:

a single tether;
and
a kite configured to operate aloft connected to only the single tether, the kite comprising:
a lifting surface, wherein the lifting surface is heavier-than-air;
an aerodynamic surface control system configured to adjust an attitude of the lifting surface while the kite is aloft;
an instrument system internal to the kite configured to gather data while the kite is aloft;
a power system located in the lifting surface of the kite system operably connected to the instrument system;
wherein the surface control system controls operation of one or more actuators to actuate one or more aerodynamic control surfaces includes a directional control surface, and a lateral control surface for adjusting an attitude of a lifting surface of the kite and for changing a direction and orientation of the kite while the kite is aloft;
and
an attachment point connecting the single tether to the kite.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.