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

Related authors

Controlling rigid-wing airborne wind energy systems during circular flight without exact path following
Duc H. Nguyen, Agustí Porta Ko, Tallak Tveide, Mark H. Lowenberg, and Espen Oland
Wind Energ. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2026-69,https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-2026-69, 2026
Preprint under review for WES
Short summary

Cited articles

Coetzee, E., Krauskopf, B., and Lowenberg, M. H.: The Dynamical Systems Toolbox: Integrating AUTO into Matlab, 16th US National Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, State College, PA, 27 June–2 July 2010. 
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. 
Loyd, M. L.: Crosswind kite power (for large-scale wind power production), J. Energy, 4, 106–111, https://doi.org/10.2514/3.48021, 1980. 
Download
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.
Share
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint