1. R15901: airborne wind energy plane
Voice of the Customer
R15901: airborne wind energy plane

2. Background
Airborne wind energy planes are designed to simulate the tip of the conventional wind turbine blade
Operate at higher altitudes than conventional wind turbines
Multiple methods to harness the energy
Tether reel system
Turbines on-board the plane conducted through tether
Figure 1: Diagram showing swept areas of a conventional horizontal axis wind turbine(HAWT) and an tethered airfoil system.

3. Current State of the Art in Industry
Makani
Uses on-board turbines with electrified tether
Most recent model generates 600 kW of power
Fully autonomous vertical circular flight path
Flies at an altitude of 140 m -310 m
Ampyx
Uses reel system to generate electricity
Fully autonomous infinity-shaped flight path
Flies at an altitude of 300 m – 600 m

4. Current State of the Art in MSD
P14462
Designed a Base Station
Provided tether connection point
Collected tether tension and position data of the plane
Used a bought plane
3-point bridle system
Achieved 3-5 continuous vertical circles
P15462
Designed a plane
Designed to perform continuous vertical circles
Using a 1-point bridle system
Implementing previous Base Station for DAQ
Currently manufacturing and assembling plane

5. Objectives for Continuation
Goals:
Design an airborne wind energy system that implements a continuous horizontal circular flight path.
Implement a tether control system to perform reeling of the tether in flight.
Collect position, orientation, and tether tension as a function of time of the plane in flight.
Stakeholders
Dr. Gomes
Professor Hanzlik
P15462
MSD Office

6. Objective Tree Four projects from Objective Tree: Base Station design
Tether Tension Control System
Adapting a plane design for new flight path
On-board Instrumentation and hardware

7. Project Schedule Proposal
Future Project Schedule Proposal
Project
Fall 2015
Spring 2015
Fall 2016
Spring 2016
Fall 2017
Base Station Design
MSD 1
MSD 2
Adapting Plane Design
Tether Tension Control System
On-Board Instrumentation and Hardware

8. Base Station Project CR’s
Customer Requirement
Relative Weight
Base Station with Tether Connection
29%
Allow for full rotation of the tether
24%
Achieve continuous horizontal circular flight path
19%
Reel system to change tether length
14%
Bridle system to attach to plane and maintain constant bank angle
10%
Use a provided bought plane or P15462's plane 5%
Record videos of all flights 0%

9. Next Steps
Meet with Professor Hanzlik and Dr. Gomes to discuss Project Schedule Proposal
Meet with P15462 to discuss expectations
Meet with MSD Office to discuss budgeting
Develop Functional Decomposition
Develop Engineering Requirements
Develop House of Quality

10. Questions?