Toyota
This project conducts research to fly a large kite in the atmosphere’s tropopause region, to utilize the westerly jet stream to generate energy.
Project References
Mothership Project: Aiming to Harness a New Energy Source
"we have turned our attention to the westerly jet stream, in Japan’s upper atmosphere, which is said to have the highest average wind speed in the world"
Aerial Platform "Mothership Project" vol. 2
Development of attitude control system
"Mothership Project" Aiming for Sustained Aerial Platform Vol. 3
Development of the "Onboard Wind Power Generation Device"
What are Toyota's Kite-Flying Researchers Trying to Achieve?
The idea is to fly kites at high altitudes and produce power by tethering them to land-based electric generators with high-strength fiber. The challenge was making the kites light enough.