Interactive framework

AWETrim computational workflow

A quasi-steady, multi-fidelity, experimentally validated framework for soft-kite Airborne Wind Energy Systems. Click any block to see what it does, the figures it produces, and links to the code and papers behind it.

Each block is clickable. Selecting one updates the panel on the right with a description, a figure, and links to the relevant repository and publication.

Scientific Publications

The methods behind the framework are described in:

Code & repositories

AWETrim ties together several open-source packages:

  • AWETrim This framework — CasADi system model, ROM & trajectory optimisation
  • Vortex Step Method (VSM) Enhanced lifting-line aerodynamic solver for low-aspect-ratio wings
  • LEI airfoil ML models (Zenodo) Trained machine-learning (Extra-Trees) models predicting LEI airfoil aerodynamics for the VSM
  • Particle System Simulator (PSS) Particle-spring structural solver for flexible membrane kites
  • kite_fem Finite-element structural solver, alternative to PSS in the coupling
  • EKF-AWE Extended Kalman Filter for AWE flight-data reconstruction
  • TU Delft LEI-V3 kite Reference kite data, geometry and field measurements
  • awesIO I/O helpers for AWE data formats used by the scripts
  • CasADi Symbolic computation and NLP solving (IPOPT)

Datasets

Open flight-test data sets used as experimental inputs:

  • Flight test · 9 Oct 2025 TU Delft V3 (25 m² LEI), Ireland · most recent V3 flight · kinematics, airflow, ground-station, control inputs & lidar wind
  • Flight test · 5 Jun 2024 Kitepower V9 (60 m² LEI), Bangor Erris, Ireland · kinematics, tether force & angle, reel-out speed, lidar wind
  • Flight test · 27 Nov 2023 Kitepower V9, Bangor Erris, Ireland · IMU/GPS kinematics, pitot & vane airflow, tether force, lidar wind (66 cycles)
  • Flight test · 12 May 2023 Kitepower V9 (60 m² LEI), Dirksland, Netherlands · kinematics, tether force, airflow, ground wind (8 cycles)
  • Flight test · 8 Oct 2019 TU Delft V3 (25 m² LEI), Valkenburg, Netherlands · kinematics, wind, tether force, reel speed & power (87 cycles, 10 Hz)

AWETrim is developed within the MERIDIONAL project, which has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101084216. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.