# Predictive Control of Autonomous Kites in Tow Test Experiments

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a model-based predictive control method for autonomous kite flight in wind power generation, effectively managing delays and constraints, validated through tow test experiments.

## Contribution

It develops a novel MPC approach that accounts for inner-loop limitations and delays, improving autonomous kite control for wind energy applications.

## Key findings

- Successful implementation in tow test experiments
- Effective compensation for kite dynamics delays
- Enhanced control robustness under operational constraints

## Abstract

In this paper we present a model-based control approach for autonomous flight of kites for wind power generation. Predictive models are considered to compensate for delay in the kite dynamics. We apply Model Predictive Control (MPC), with the objective of guiding the kite to follow a figure-of-eight trajectory, in the outer loop of a two level control cascade. The tracking capabilities of the inner-loop controller depend on the operating conditions and are assessed via a frequency domain robustness analysis. We take the limitations of the inner tracking controller into account by encoding them as optimisation constraints in the outer MPC. The method is validated on a kite system in tow test experiments.