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Makani was an ambitious Google X project that sought to harness wind energy using airborne wind turbines — autonomous kites capable of generating power while flying in crosswind patterns. This open-source repository contains the complete software stack that powered Makani’s research and flight systems, including the flight simulator, autopilot controller, avionics firmware, visualization tools, and ground control software. The software enables simulation, control, and analysis of the Makani M600 turbine system, designed to operate offshore and autonomously manage complex aerodynamic behaviors. Built primarily in C++ and Python, the codebase integrates real-time flight control, sensor fusion, aerodynamic modeling, and telemetry visualization. The project also provides comprehensive simulation environments for studying airborne wind power systems and flight dynamics. Although Makani’s commercial development concluded, the software remains valuable for researchers and engineers.
Features
- Full airborne wind turbine simulator with physics-based flight modeling
- Real-time autopilot control software for crosswind, hover, and transition flight modes
- Visualization tools for monitoring flight telemetry in 3D using OpenGL
- Avionics firmware for onboard systems including motors, servos, and ground stations
- Python- and MATLAB-based analysis tools for flight log data processing and plotting
- Docker-based build environment for reproducible simulations and testing
Project Samples
