The Makani Kite

Makani is the world’s largest rigid-wing kite, the Makani M600 is the last of its kind, and on display at the aerospace museum.

The Makani energy kite represents a bold reimagining of how electricity can be generated from wind. Developed by Makani Power and later acquired by Google’s X (the Moonshot Factory), the system used a lightweight, autonomous aircraft tethered to the ground to harvest high-altitude winds—where airflow is stronger and more consistent than at turbine height.

Rather than spinning blades on a tower, the Makani kite flew controlled loops in the sky, using onboard propellers as generators. Electricity traveled down the tether to a ground station, eliminating the need for massive towers and foundations. Although the project was ultimately discontinued in 2020, Makani demonstrated the technical feasibility of airborne wind energy and helped advance autonomous flight control, lightweight composite structures, and renewable-energy research.

The Makani kite stands as an example of experimental aviation pushing beyond conventional aircraft—where flight itself becomes the power plant.