Rotating apparatus for non-propeller assisted startup of tethered airplanes

In the course of two years, a hardware platform is put together to perform experiments for the start-up of kite. Different kite designs and control algorithms can be tested safely on the platform.

The main piece of hardware is what we call the carousel. It consists of a rigid aluminium framework and a rotating arm at 2.5 meters above ground level to tow kites. It supports rotary motion and up to at least 800 Newtons of unbalance force, much more then needed for the current aeroplane.