Ampyx Power develops Airborne Wind Energy Systems that consist of aircraft tethered to generators on the ground. The aircraft launch from small platforms and then fly crosswind in repetitive patterns, pulling the tethers that drive the generators.
The systems capture the vast wind resource at higher altitudes with much less material than used in conventional wind turbines. The company was founded in 2008 by Richard Ruiterkamp who worked on a kite energy system at the TU Delft. He worked with former astronaut and nestor of the Airborne Wind Energy field Wubbo Ockels. Ampyx Power counts 50 employees today.
Ampyx Power is currently building a pre-commercial demonstrator AP3 that will be ready for testing next year. The company needed a scale-model for several occasions: in the office for site visits, for exhibitions and for conferences.
We’ve translated the CAD models to a 1:10 scale model and optimized details for printability. The model has detachable wings, landing gears and connects by a magnetic connection to a 1:20 scaled generator/winch. The model is accompanied by a landing platform and everything fits in a carry-on sized luggage case.
