Project Readiness Package
Rev 7/22/11
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Project Name (tentative):

Project Number, if known:
Airborne Wind Energy: Plane Design
P15462
Preferred Start/End Quarter in Senior Design: Fall 2014-Spring 2015
 Faculty Champion: (technical mentor: supports proposal development, anticipated technical mentor during
project execution; may also be Sponsor)
Name
Mario Gomes
Dept.
ME
Email
mwgeme@rit.edu
Phone
475-21 48
For assistance identifying a Champion: B. Debartolo (ME), G. Slack (EE), J. Kaemmerlen (ISE), R. Melton (CE)
 Other Support,
Faculty Champion)
if known: (faculty or others willing to provide expertise in areas outside the domain of the
Name

Dept.
Email
Phone
Project “Guide” if known: Ed Hanzlik (if amenable)
 Primary Customer, if known
articulates needs/requirements)
(name, phone, email): (actual or representative user of project output;
Mario Gomes, 585 475 2148, mwgeme@rit.edu

Sponsor(s): (provider(s) of financial support)
Name/Organization
MSD
Contact Info.
Page 1 of 7
Type & Amount of Support Committed
$500
Project Readiness Package
Rev 7/22/11
The goal of this project is design, build, and test a powered/controlled glider specifically for use as an
airborne wind energy system. These systems are currently in development by several companies all over
the world. However, each company has a different design and nobody knows the “best” way to design
these systems. These airborne wind energy systems have the ability to harness winds at higher altitudes
than conventional wind turbines and use less material to do so. Thus these new systems can produce
electric energy at a fraction of the cost of conventional wind turbines, and can be located in places
currently classified as “poor” wind sites. The system you will be creating will look very similar to the
system in development by Ampyx Power shown in Figure 1.
There are two main methods for transmitting the power
generated at the kite or glider to the ground. One method uses
small turbines mounted on the kite itself to generate electric
power onboard the kite (see Figure 3b). Then this electric
power is transmitted to the ground using an electrically
conductive tether. A second method transmits power
mechanically to the ground through the tether (see Figure
3A). Mechanical transmission of power is done using a
“pumping” motion the kite or glider. The pumping motion
consists of two phases, a power phase where line is let off the
drum when the tether tension is high, and a retraction phase
where line is taken up by the drum when the tether tension is
low. Although some power is required during the retraction
phase is has been shown that this can be less than the amount
of power generated during the power phase.
Figure 1: Diagram showing swept areas of a
conventional horizontal axis wind turbine(HAWT)
and an tethered airfoil system.
The main goal of this project is to recreate, at a
small-scale, a human controlled, tethered glider
system. Eventually we would like to use this as
a testbed for design changes to a pumping
energy production system. However, as a first
step, we need a plane that can achieve
sustained, tethered, circular flight and be robust
enough to survive the learning process to
achieve that flight.
In order to validate and/or improve the
performance predictions of our computer
simulations we need to accurately measure the
motion of various parts of the system. To
Figure 2(A&B): Two systems showing mechanical transmission of power to
simplify these measurements, the main
the ground and electrical transmission to the ground. Image taken from
[Donnelly 2013]
measurement requirement is the tether tension
and angle at the base-station. Although we
know the tether flexes during the motion, for short tethers this flexing is minimal and can be used in the
future as part of a more complete sensor package to achieve automatic control of the system.
Project Readiness Package
Rev 7/22/11
Figure 3: Three axis load cell system created by Lansdorp et al.Image
taken from [Lansdorp 2007].
Figure 4: Three axis load cell allowing for variable tether length created by
Chris Donnelley. Image taken from [Donnelly 2013].
Figure 5: Senior Design base station that will be used for this project.
Page 3 of 7
Project Readiness Package
Rev 7/22/11
DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Customer Needs: (1:most important, 3:least important)
Customer
Need #
CN1
Importance
CN2
CN3
CN4
CN5
CN6
CN7
CN8
3
1
2
1
1
1
1
CN9
CN10
1
1
1
Description
Tethered glider system (with electric prop assist for launching) that
demonstrates at least 3 minutes of continuous circular flight path with
taunt tether.
Clean appearance
Human controlled plane
No special flight skill required
Use existing base station design
Tether tension is measured and recorded during flights
Tether direction is measured and recorded during flights
Videos with accompanying data files of all flight tests (even ones that
don’t work)
Able to survive crashes with minor repairs (short downtime)
Replaceable parts
Project Readiness Package

Rev 7/22/11
Initial Thoughts:
The customer will provide a working base station which is capable of measuring the tether tension
and direction. This system is from a previous senior design team. We recommend EPP foam for
the construction of the wings and tail of the plane with a push propeller behind and above the main
wing. The previous senior design team was able to complete 3-5 loops maximum before losing too
much altitude and crashing. We think we need to roll the aircraft during flight to maintain altitude.
This rolling will likely require ailerons and onboard feedback control since, from previous
experience the system moves too quickly for a human operator to roll the plane accordingly.
Constraints:
Use existing base-station provided by the customer

Project Deliverables: Expected output, what will be “delivered” – be as specific and thorough as possible.
Complete Set of Technical Information:
o Documented set of experimental results for 30 trials with 3min. of looping along with
video and accompanying dataset (file naming scheme must be easily understandable)
o MFG and Assembly documentation: on how to fabricate the prototype
Project Deliverables:
-working prototype able to demonstrate continued looping of 3min. or longer
- set of annotated videos showing successful flight with associated data
-(1) <2 minute video explaining project to general public
-(1) video operation guide to running device and changing parameters
- complete sets of raw data (time, angles, loads) for all trials showing data as functions of time along with
accompanying video of trial.
- well-written operation/maintenance manual (device operation, data collection, algorithm modification,
etc.) [hardcopy and pdf]
-Team will present a summary report on assigned and assimilated benchmarking activities sometime
during weeks 3-5. Successful completion of this project requires a solid understanding of rigid body
dynamics, machine design, kinematics, and basic control. Student will acquire this knowledge via lecture,
reading, observation, and experimentation.
-Team will conduct (2) Project Reviews during MSD 1. A system level review will be held sometime
during weeks 4-6. A detailed design review will be held sometime during weeks 7-9.
-Team will conduct a final week 11 review with their Guide.
-Team members will supply Peer Evaluations at the end of weeks 3, 6, 9 per guide's direction.
-Budget Estimate: $500
Page 5 of 7
-Intellectual Property (IP) considerations:
All videos, data, and simulation code should be posted on the private section of edge until article
publication occurs
.
 Other Information: Describe potential benefits and liabilities, known project risks, etc.
 Continuation Project Information,
project(s) relate to the proposed project.
if appropriate: Include prior project(s) information, and how prior
STUDENT STAFFING:

Anticipated Staffing Levels by Discipline:
Discipline
ME
How Many?
5
Anticipated Skills Needed
ME1: Aeronautical Engineer: responsible for determining
aerodyanamic loading on the glider and for possible modifications
to improve performance
ME2: Structural engineer: responsible for structural
design/modifications of glider to resist applied loads without
failing or exceeding desired deformation
ME3: Controls engineer: responsible for control algorithm
development
ME4: Design Engineer: responsible for data collection and sensor
selection and calibration.
ME5: Simulation Engineer: responsible for simulation analysis to
determine loading and predict performance of the system.
OTHER RESOURCES ANTICIPATED:
Category
Description
Faculty
Mario Gomes
Environment
MSD Design Center/ Gomes' Energy in Motion Lab
EE Senior Design lab
Machine Shop & Brinkman lab
Equipment
Materials
Existing working load cell basestation (GomesLab)
Resource
Available?
Project Readiness Package
Other
Rev 7/22/11
Initial 2D computational model
Graduate student Matt Douglas is available for technical consults (He is working on
simulating as similar kite system and was the pilot for the previous senior deign teams
tethered plane system.)
Prepared by:
Mario Gomes
Date:
Page 7 of 7
6/04/14