Airseas has issued video footage of its automated kite system Seawing in flight during ongoing transatlantic sea trials. This comes as the company announces the successful completion of the crucial initial stages of these trials, which are taking place on the vessel Ville de Bordeaux, as it transports aircraft components between Europe and the United States.
The footage shows the Seawing system in action, flying 200 meters above sea level, harnessing the power of the wind to propel the vessel and reduce the main engine load.
Seawing aims to slash fuel consumption and emissions by an average of 20%. The system will use digital twins and advanced automation systems to ensure that the system can be safely deployed, operated and stored at the push of a button with minimal input or training needed from crew. The solution can be installed on virtually any type of commercial vessel.
The system is undergoing sea trials on the 154m ro-ro (roll-on roll-off) vessel Ville de Bordeaux. A team of Airseas engineers is on board to test the system and gather data, with the operational support of LDA’s crew and Airbus’ Transport & Logistics department.
The first stages of the sea trials have successfully validated key steps such as the folding and unfolding of the wing, take-off and landing, and flights in altitude. The next phase will test the Seawing in a broader range of weather conditions and fine-tune the automation system.
In addition to the first system on the Ville de Bordeaux for Airbus, Airseas has also received firm orders from K Line, a Japanese shipowner who owns the fifth largest fleet worldwide, for five Seawing systems, with additional options to equip up to 51 vessels in total.
