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Post by limoncello on Sept 9, 2018 18:22:41 GMT 1
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Post by FabienA380 on Sept 9, 2018 18:32:59 GMT 1
(moved here).... interesting!!  |
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Post by airboche on Sept 10, 2018 12:41:16 GMT 1
Is there any more data available? Like what size it has, what weight, how it is stabilized and how they guide it and such? Seems to be pretty automatic.
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mjoelnir
in service - 2 years
Posts: 4,089
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Post by mjoelnir on Sept 10, 2018 14:21:58 GMT 1
I assume we are talking about this: www.skysails.info/en/It just looks to similar and I know that SkySails owns some patents. Could it be that Airbus bought them out, or perhaps only a unit for their ship? Or do we see a big company copying what a small company does. Perhaps the patents run out. SkySails have some references regarding ships that installed their product. This seems to be the first commercial installation if it is really a separate development. |
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Baroque
in service - 2 years
Posts: 3,991
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Post by Baroque on Sept 10, 2018 14:26:21 GMT 1
Interesting bit of technology. We do know winds can be powerful enough to toss ships around. Depends on the wind direction and strength though.
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philidor
in service - 6 years
Posts: 8,950
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Post by philidor on Sept 10, 2018 15:10:14 GMT 1
Do we see a big company copying what a small company does. Perhaps the patents run out. The kites look pretty similar, but the crux of the system must be the software. I bet Airbus has developped its own. |
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mjoelnir
in service - 2 years
Posts: 4,089
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Post by mjoelnir on Sept 10, 2018 16:16:58 GMT 1
ShySails offers full automatic deployment and recovery today.
The strange question is always, why does the industry not bite? The installed systems pay for themselves inside of three years. You can use this system when the wind is behind you until it is abeam. Fuel burn reduction have been shown between 10 to 20 %. Weather forecasts help you to find routes where you can optimize deployment of the sail, especially on longer routes.
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Baroque
in service - 2 years
Posts: 3,991
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Post by Baroque on Sept 10, 2018 16:59:19 GMT 1
The strange question is always, why does the industry not bite? Indeed. The concept itself is not totally new. I do recall it being around for a while. Found this 1980s video of something similar but with rigid sails. A little more complex and weighty than the one proposed for Seawings. |
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