Energy kite flight footage from Hawai’i

Editor’s note: This blog was originally published on the Makani team blog by the Makani team on August 13, 2019. In 2020 Makani’s 13-year journey came to an end. You can explore Makani’s 13 years of technical development and insights in The Energy Kite Collection. Thank you to everyone who supported the Makani team on their journey.

Since our first flights at our Hawai’i Island site in 2018, we’ve been steadily testing our energy kite in the island’s strong winds. Flight testing is how we gather the data and real world experience necessary to validate our models and confirm that our airborne wind power system is on the path to commercialization.

Our name, Makani celebrates Hawai’i’s incredible wind resource, as well as Hawai’i’s leadership in promoting sustainability and energy independence. Some of our first power-generating prototypes were tested on Maui in 2008, and it is a privilege to now test our kites on Hawai’i Island.

We’re excited to share a few videos from some of our flights earlier this year. (Ed. note — this playlist has been updated)

_{Flight footage from ongoing testing of Makani’s airborne wind power system.}