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Comment by smusamashah | Hacker News Reader

How is the kite raised initially and what happens when air stops, how is it re-raised?

Reading the article seems like it's pulled back if air is stopping, and slowly released based on air speed perhaps.

On islands where this is targeted the winds are usually very predictable, especially at higher altitudes. This isn't like flying a kite at ground level, there is no need to wench the kite back down to ground level, just up and down where the faster high altitude winds are.

I wonder how they will deal with bird attacks. Falcons and eagles (ironically, they share the same name with this kite) are territorial and will go after these drones. I once had a huge heavy-lift drone that got attacked too. But with a pilot nearby, the easy solution is to fly to a higher altitude, that seems to determine who rules the sky in their eyes apparently. I’m not sure how this kite will manage such situation.

By being 60m2 big? I mean, helicopters are also not being attacked by eagles, why would this kite be?

Helicopters do get attacked, not so common because of several factors like the size, flight behavior, altitude, and most importantly the engine size and placement, these birds from my observation they usually attack from behind and/or above, both are properly “protected” in the helicopters, not so much in this kite, additionally, when the pilot is flying, they usually avoid it and continue their path, the birds mostly won’t chase and lose interest, but this kite is stationary and if the bird decided that it is hostile, it will keep trying to prey on it especially when you can’t increase the altitude substantially like a normal drone.

Wind power machine idea #1: turbines.

Potential concern with idea #1: the machines may kill birds.

Wind power machine idea #2: kites.

Potential concern with idea #2: birds may kill the machines.

The bright side is that wind doesn't tend to stop as much 325m up

All of the raising is done by the wind.

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