Methods and Systems for Transitioning an Aerial Vehicle Between Crosswind Flight and Hover Flight

摘要

A method may involve operating an aerial vehicle to travel along a first closed path on a tether sphere while oriented in a crosswind-flight orientation. A tether may be connected to the aerial vehicle on a first end and may be connected to a ground station on a second end. Further, the tether sphere may have a radius corresponding to a length of the tether. The method may further involve while the aerial vehicle is in the crosswind-flight orientation, operating the aerial vehicle to travel along a second closed path on the tether sphere, such that a speed of the aerial vehicle is reduced. And the method may involve after or while the speed of the aerial vehicle is reduced, transitioning the aerial vehicle from traveling along the second closed path while in the crosswind-flight orientation to a hover-flight orientation.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
operating an aerial vehicle to travel along a first closed path on a tether sphere while oriented in a crosswind-flight orientation, wherein a tether is connected to the aerial vehicle on a first end and is connected to a ground station on a second end, and wherein the tether sphere has a radius corresponding to a length of the tether; while the aerial vehicle is in the crosswind-flight orientation, operating the aerial vehicle to travel along a second closed path on the tether sphere, such that a speed of the aerial vehicle is reduced; and after or while the speed of the aerial vehicle is reduced, transitioning the aerial vehicle from traveling along the second closed path while in the crosswind-flight orientation to a hover-flight orientation.