The Makani energy kite is an aerodynamic wing tethered to a ground station. First the kite climbs to a desired altitude and positions itself downwind. The wing-mounted rotors initially consume a small amount of power to produce thrust. The kite then transitions into crosswind flight. Aerodynamic lift allows the wing to glide autonomously in loops optimized for maximum power generation by our flight controller. Wind spins the rotors, driving onboard generators to produce electricity which is transferred back to the ground via the tether. The latest prototype transfers up to 600 kilowatts to the grid ? enough to power about 300 homes.