A "Kite-Buddy" is a friend who does any of several jobs for the kite flyer, but most importantly helps launch a kite by presenting it to the wind on an extended tether. This skips more chaotic "short-line harmonics" and painfully slow downwinding by a "cold-launch". With a "hot" "buddy-launch" a kite winch can raise the kite to working altitude in a deterministic way. Landing would generally be practical to the winch, but a kite buddy might retrieve an accidentally grounded kite for relaunching or saving it from dragging back home.

A robot vehicle Kite-Buddy may be the golden solution to launching difficulties many AWES R&D teams like KiteGen are currently experiencing. A few radiating taxiways from a central anchor point would suffice. The rest of the landscape under the AWES could serve other needs.

A mix of prior art and some IP claims exist around this method. The passive launching of a hang-glider on a dolly is a close existing analog.

• CoolIP*                      ~Dave Santos                 Oct 6 2012        AWES7390

Comment and development of this topic will be occurring here.       
All, send notes, drawings, and photographs!

• Terms and aspects:   
  • kite assistant
  • kiting assistant
  • kite-operation assistant
  • kite linesman
  • kite winchman
  • Octave Chanute launching scheme
• Related links and concepts:
  • Passive structural buddies: rests, prevents, aerial-cable prevents,
  • Launching procedures with their devices
  • Checklist as a buddy
  • Loop that takes a cart out and back. Out with wing; back without wing.  Flying wings could provide power to return a kite buddy vehicle that might be on a loop.  Or the AWES could charge batteries for the robot cart.
  • Platform launch from moving buddy vehicle for hang glider kite: Bob Buxton HG Launch
• Commentary is welcome:
  • Human kite buddies: it is a great plus if the kite buddy could take over the operation in case something happens to the kite pilot where he or she cannot perform needed actions.  Buddies well trained may save lives and equipment.    JpF, Oct. 6, 2012  
  •