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High Altitude lifting


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For last years NASA power beaming challenge we rented a helicopter for $30k. I am toying with the idea of replacing the helicopter with a kite.

The kite would need to be able to fly about 4000 ft agl on its main string while lifting a second line vertically at least 1 km for our robots to climb while they get their power from multi-kilowatt lasers.

We have checked into military versions of such devices but they are not really any cheaper than the helicopter.

We have also looked into balloons extensively and as soon as you add in a wind requirement the cost soars. It's actually more expensive than a rented helicopter.

kytoons look promising but I just can't find enough information on the net to make any judgements about them.

The original competition spec called for robots up to 50 kg. The actual competition saw nothing over 10 kg. I don't expect to see more than that this round either.

The problems I have foreseen are that we would have minimum wind requirements. Gust, and wind direction issues. We would need a competent winch and we might have trouble keeping the climb line over the top of the lasers and vertical.

This is also an unknown vs the helicopter. So if we can't cut the cost substantially there is not much point. However we could perhaps use the kite many more hours and days than the helicopter adding to it's value. The kite might also let us move to a less expensive venue further reducing costs. Last years venue was also over $30k.

Multi-kite, multi-line, delta, parafoil- heck even paraglider are all up for discussion.

spaceelevatorgames.org

Brian

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The biggest problem is that you are requiring a lift of 110lbs (50kg). Thats quite a bit of weight on a kite. A large Cody could do it and would do it pretty easily but should the wind or line or kite fail, thats quite a huge amount of weight to be tumbling down towards the people on the ground. A large Peter Lynn Twinskin foil would be able to do it as well but you would have the same safety issues regarding failure.

Another possible issue is that your kite will drift somewhat in the winds depending on how clean the winds are at the time. This may cause the bottom line your robots are climbing on to whip back and forth.

These wouldn't be an issue at all with a helicopter because it can stay in the air under its own power and is not dependent on the current weather conditions. Relying on Mother Nature to supply a good clean steady breeze is well....not that reliable.

In order to lift the weight amounts that you are requiring, you would need a very large kite (which takes extra care for launching and maintaining) and a very good wind to launch it in and lift the weight required.

Don't want to sound to negative, just trying to offer some situations and possible avenues for development. If the weather wasn't so unpredictable, this would be very easily accomplished.

Hope this helps spur some ideas.

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  • 5 months later...

Hi,

in the 70's i made a train of Georges kites, 7 in total, 6 with a span of 4m and the manlifter had a span of 7m.

one send one of the 6 as a pilot kite, at about 150m you have the first stop for the nr. 2 to anchor, every 40m a stop to anchor the other 4.

the pull is enormous. the man lifter is send up the line last it had a trapeze chair and bridle control, to pull up or slide down.

It was very tricky, we needed always 4 to 5 guys for the set-up, and only managed a couple of successful flights/manlifts. 80kg lift was no problem.

This was also done with Cody's (more successfully)

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