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A sophisticated autonomous control system pilots the Makani Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT). The autonomous controller is responsible for maintaining a stable flight path, while also maximizing power output. To do this, hundreds of times each second the controller calculates the wing’s position and heading from sensor data and adjusts the control surfaces (aileron, elevator, and rudder) to maintain the correct flight path. This fast response allows the wing to easily handle disturbances such as gusts.  The control system has been proven, both in simulation and reality, to fly stable and reproducible paths.
A plot of the wing’s position during flight. Shortly after launch, control of the wing is switched from the pilot to the onboard control system. The control system navigates the wing according to a pre-described circular path. The autonomous control system maintains the circular flight pattern with high repeatability despite significant variations in wind speed and direction during the flight.
Computer systems on the ground monitor the status of the wing, and report the power generated by the wing-mounted turbines, the load on the tether and information on the autonomous control system. Control systems engineer, Dr. Kenneth Jensen, oversees data during an overnight flight test of the autonomous controller.
