Cool patent of the week - Google's airborne wind turbine

PatentYogi_Google's Airborne Wind Turbine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patent Information
Patent Number: US 9,156,565
Patent Title: Methods for perching
Inventors: Hachtmann; Brian (San Martin, CA), Vander Lind; Damon (Alameda, CA)
Assignee: Google Inc. (Mountain View, CA)
Family ID: 1000001395260
Appl. No.: 14/144,159
Filed: December 30, 2013

Abstract: An airborne wind turbine system including an aerial vehicle having a fuselage, an electrically conductive tether having a first end secured to the aerial wing and a second end secured to a platform, a rotatable drum positioned on the platform onto which the tether is wrapped when the aerial vehicle is reeled in, a perch panel extending from the platform, first and second extensions extending from opposite sides of the perch panel, a peg positioned on the fuselage, first and second hooks extending from the aerial vehicle on opposite sides of the peg, wherein when the aerial vehicle is perched on the perch panel, the peg is in contact with the perch panel, the first hook is positioned over the first extension, and the second hook is positioned over the second extension.

US9156565