Articles | Volume 11, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-285-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-285-2026
Research article
 | 
26 Jan 2026
Research article |  | 26 Jan 2026

Trimming a rigid-wing airborne wind system for coordinated circular flights

Duc H. Nguyen, Mark H. Lowenberg, and Espen Oland

Cited articles

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Doedel, E. and Oldeman, B., AUTO-07P, GitHub [code], http://www.github.com/auto-07p/auto-07p, 2021. 
Eijkelhof, D., Rossi, N., and Schmehl, R.: Optimal Flight Pattern Debate for Airborne Wind Energy Systems: Circular or Figure-of-eight?, Wind Energ. Sci. Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2024-139, in review, 2024. 
Fernandes, M. C. R. M., Vinha, S., Paiva, L. T., and Fontes, F. A. C. C.: L0 and L1 Guidance and Path-Following Control for Airborne Wind Energy Systems, Energies, 15, 1390, https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041390, 2022. 
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Short summary
Airborne wind energy systems (AWESs) are an emerging technology for power generation using tethered aircraft. The flight dynamics characteristics of rigid-wing AWESs in circular flight is discussed. We examine the cyclic control input to achieve circular soaring flight while being tethered. It was also found that large-radius circular orbits are unstable. The insights gained from this research can help to inform future control design for rigid-wing AWES.
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