Pretty cool I thought

http://www.suasnews.com/2010/10/2464...wind-turbines/

Originally Posted by Gary Mortimer

...Pretty cool I thought...

Very cool.

Why not a simple single rotor heli kite?

Well, they did say that it could handle multiple failures. Also, and to its credit, the small rotors are probably quiet. I understand that people who live near wind farms can hear the things even from miles away.

I like the way they rotate in the wind, but I hope they unwind by going the other way. and keep count on the turns so when the reel them in for service they don't wind up with a twisted cable. I'm sure they already thought of it, but I wish they had shown it in the video.

Pete

Funny enough I live within 2 miles of a windfarm that was put up earlier this year, I can see the turbines now out of my living room window. Can't hear them at all. I really prefer them to a power station. But I guess this is not the place for that discussion!

Originally Posted by Gary Mortimer

Funny enough I live within 2 miles of a windfarm that was put up earlier this year, I can see the turbines now out of my living room window. Can't hear them at all. I really prefer them to a power station. But I guess this is not the place for that discussion!

Interesting since I've heard about complaints in a locale where some friends live. Another problem is that someone already built some about fifty miles away from them and they are now abandoned, highly visible from the road and nobody has the money to either resurrect them or take them down.

Read a great book called. "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" about a kid in a small african nation who builds his own windmill to generate electricity and literally changes his country.

I don't think any of this is off topic. The subject is harnessing wind power. These guys are doing it with something that flies like a kite and other people do it with towers. I think comment on the subject is appropriate.

Pete

Originally Posted by Gary Mortimer

Funny enough I live within 2 miles of a windfarm that was put up earlier this year, I can see the turbines now out of my living room window. Can't hear them at all. I really prefer them to a power station. But I guess this is not the place for that discussion!

Turn you hearing aids on! Sorry, couldn't resist. They could put a wind farm in my dad's back yard and unless his hearing aids are turned on, he wouldn't hear it.

- Jeff

Pardon

Some nice videos.

The one dated July 2009 looks a lot like the paparazzi/booze project.

So can we attach one of these little generator motors to our quads for an extended flight?

Originally Posted by RCvertt

Some nice videos.

The one dated July 2009 looks a lot like the paparazzi/booze project.

So can we attach one of these little generator motors to our quads for an extended flight?

Or just use your quad as a generator to recharge the batteries!

Pete (Hmm... Almost sounds like it would work)

The noise factor may depend on whether you're upwind or downwind from the farm.

The flying multi looks great. More wind away from the surface layer too.

Tons of windspeed in the jetstream if you could get them up there.

Very interesting find Gary! The direct link to the Gent's web site here: http://jobyenergy.com/tech/visit
Here is another power souce design based on kite power:

The Fascination of Kite Power (6 min 33 sec)

It seems to me the answer is somewhere in a combination of the two designs.
Cheers,
Jim
Quadrocopter and Tricopter Mega Link Index

Originally Posted by jesolins

...It seems to me the answer is somewhere in a combination of the two designs...[/URL]

How about just two motors.

This tethered generator idea is really taking off

Yep. One is actually a quad I wonder what system they use to keep the power wires from twisting with the "orbit" they are using? It would be really nasty if the main cable decided to break though.
Cheers,
Jim

Originally Posted by RCvertt

How about just two motors.

This tethered generator idea is really taking off

Originally Posted by jesolins

...I wonder what system they use to keep the power wires from twisting with the "orbit" they are using?...

Might be something similar to RC ball and socket push rod connectors with both parts being metal so that electricity can flow through the connection

You'd never be able to operate any tethered object above 500ft AGL (or at any altitude really. Collision hazards between the tether and aircraft will always be your undoing.

Otherwise you'd simply use tethered, illuminated blimps as a platform for wind turbines. Easy for aircraft to see, but even with an illuminated tether, they still pose too great a risk.

Combine that with adverse weather conditions, excessive winds, etc. and you have a untenable proposal.

Ground based technology is really the only logical way to go. Further advances will see wind become more efficient and 'people friendly'.