Just as many wind turbine developers are increasing the size of their power generating units, others are seeking cost-efficient wind energy production at a smaller scale. German startup Kitekraft is developing flying wind turbines that require 10 times less materials to develop than traditional wind turbines. The company just announced successful flight tests of an autonomous hybrid kite, marking progress toward the development of a 100 kW capacity turbine.

Energy produced by the autonomous hybrid kite aircraft via eight small onboard rotors is transmitted through a tether to a grid-connected ground station. The prototype generates the same energy as the tips of large wind turbine blades — the fastest-moving part of the blade — with a fraction of the required infrastructure.

Power electronics control the system dynamically to stabilize the kite and generate power efficiently. The fixed pitch, carbon fiber rotor blades are optimized for maximum power generation and minimum noise emission.

Company engineers will next implement hardware and software improvements in preparation for additional flight tests.