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Kitewall in flight

Tethered · Autonomous · Persistent

Kitewall
ISR System

Persistent airborne intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance — powered by wind. Sensor agnostic platform with modular payload capacity.

500 m
Altitude
80 km
Line-of-Sight
24/7
Continuous
20 kg
Payload
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System Overview

Tethered Wind-Powered
ISR Platform

The Kitewall platform is sensor agnostic with a modular 20 kg payload capacity supporting a wide range of EO/IR, radar, and communications equipment.

The system uses a tethered kite at altitudes up to 500 m, harnessing wind energy for unlimited flight endurance. The platform is net energy positive for both ground station and airborne platform.

Ground Station
Laptop-based mission control. Daylight-readable display.
Data Terminal
50 km RLOS range. AES-256 encrypted link.
Tether System
High-strength composite. Optional fiber optic data link.
Power System
15 kW wind generation. Grid or off-grid.
Detached Patrol Mode
The kite can disconnect from the tether to fly patrol missions. Fully charged batteries at 500 m provide unmatched response time. Untethered flight enables centralized inspection and maintenance.
Tethered mode
Tethered Mode — Persistent Surveillance
Detached patrol
Detached Mode — Extended Patrol Range

Technical Data

Specification

The Kitewall platform is payload agnostic with a 20 kg capacity supporting a wide range of sensor, radar, and communication equipment. End users are welcome to integrate their preferred payload suppliers. Select a payload configuration to view specifications.

Platform
TypeTethered kite
Operating altitudeUp to 500 m
Line-of-sight80 km
Surveillance radius~50 km
EnduranceUnlimited*
Power generation15 kW
Payload capacity20 kg
Launch / recoveryVTOL
OperationFully autonomous
Flights completed900+
Tether data linkFiber optic (optional)

*Scheduled inspection and service required

Environmental
Temperature−20° to +50°C
Precipitation10 mm/h
Wind (operation)0 – >25 m/s
Wind (survival)>25 m/s
Payload configuration
ISR Payload
Gimbal2-axis stabilized
EO sensorFull HD TV
EO resolution1920 × 1080
Optical zoom30X
Digital zoom3X
HFOV (EO)63.7° – 2.3°
IR sensorLWIR thermal
IR resolution640 × 512
HFOV (IR)18°
High perf. INSYes
Geo-referencingYes
Communication
Frequency2.2 – 5.1 GHz
Alt. frequency4.4 – 4.9 GHz
EncryptionAES-256
Range (RLOS)Up to 50 km
Network typeMIMO / MANET / MESH
Anti-jammingYes
Optional CRPA GPSYes
ADS-B transponderOptional Mode-S
Video & Data
Resolution1920/1080p
Frame rate30 fps
EncodingH.264
MetadataSTANAG 4609 KLV
On-board recordingYes
Target trackingMoving & stationary
Geo pointingYes
Picture-in-PictureEO + IR overlay
DRI (EO — human)
Detection14 km
Recognition6 km
Identification2.5 km
DRI (IR — vehicle)
Detection3,850 m
Recognition950 m
Identification295 m
Radar Payload
Ground-moving target indication (GMTI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payload for all-weather, day/night surveillance. Specifications are being finalized with payload partners.
Capability
GMTI / SAR imaging
Advantage
Through cloud & fog
Target
Vehicle & vessel tracking
Status
Specifications to be announced
High-Resolution Mapping
Multi-spectral and high-resolution survey cameras for aerial mapping, environmental monitoring, and precision agriculture. Ideal for continuous wide-area surveys from persistent altitude.
Capability
Multi-spectral survey
Applications
Mapping, environmental, agriculture
Advantage
Continuous coverage from altitude
Status
Specifications to be announced
Bring Your Own Payload
The Kitewall platform is designed for integration with your preferred sensor and communication equipment. We work with end users and their payload suppliers to deliver a fully integrated solution.
Capacity
Up to 20 kg payload mass
Power
Continuous power from 15 kW wind generation
Data Link
Fiber optic tether or wireless datalink
Kitewall at operational altitude

Surveillance & Altitude

Altitude
Advantage

Autonomous Detection
AI-powered object detection identifies vehicles, personnel, and vessels in real time. Geo-referenced coordinates transmitted automatically.
Persistent Coverage
Wind-powered flight enables continuous operation without battery or fuel logistics. No coverage gaps.
Altitude = Coverage
Higher altitude provides wider surveillance area. The images below show a 100 × 100 m reference grid from four operating altitudes.
50m POV
50 m
Close Surveillance
100m POV
100 m
Tactical Overwatch
200m POV
200 m
Area Surveillance
500m POV
500 m
Wide Area ISR
Daytime operations
Daytime Operations
Full HD TV camera provides high-resolution imagery for target identification, surveillance, and monitoring. Onboard camera perspective from Lista airfield, Norway.
Night operations
Night Operations
LWIR thermal imaging detects heat signatures in complete darkness. Near-infrared mode for low-light visible imaging. Automatic target tracking.
24/7
Continuous Operation
900+
Flights Completed
360°
Gimbal Rotation
0 crew
Airborne Personnel
Deployment

Operational Deployment

All-Weather
Arctic Capable

Proven in Nordic conditions. Container-based deployment with minimal ground crew. −20°C to +50°C, rain up to 10 mm/h, wind 0 to >25 m/s.

Coverage Planning

Scalable Wall Formation

Multiple kites deployed in formation for wide-area surveillance with overlapping coverage zones. Each unit operates autonomously.

Wall Configuration
Line formation for wide-area border surveillance with overlapping coverage zones.
Spacing: 300 m
Sensor fidelity through distributed triangulation. Claims airspace sovereignty.
Net Positive Energy
Each unit produces net positive energy. Dual use — ISR and energy — lets energy finance operations.
Scalable
Deploy 1 to 50+ units. Each unit autonomous. Sensor fusion across the wall.

Use Cases

Mission Applications

Persistent ISR for defense, security, and critical infrastructure.

Border & Coastal Security
24/7 surveillance of land borders and coastal zones. Detect intrusions, smuggling, and unauthorised crossings.
  • Passive or active sensors
  • Day/night thermal detection
  • Auto vessel tracking
Defense & Military ISR
Persistent battlefield surveillance and target acquisition. STANAG-compliant C2 integration.
  • AES-256 encrypted datalink
  • Anti-jamming MANET/MESH
  • Communications relay
Infrastructure Protection
Continuous monitoring of pipelines, power lines, airports, power plants, ports, and offshore platforms.
  • One operator monitors multiple sites
  • Combined ISR + energy
  • Off-grid capable
Counter-UAS & Early Warning
High-altitude vantage for early drone detection and airspace monitoring.
  • Distributed sensor triangulation
  • Acoustic integration
  • Real-time alert system
Emergency & Disaster Response
Rapid deployment for natural disasters, search and rescue, and emergency comms relay.
  • Container-based deployment
  • Self-powered operation
  • Wide area thermal search
Environmental Monitoring
Long-duration surveys, methane detection, wildfire, and pollution monitoring.
  • Multi-spectral sensors
  • Continuous coverage
  • Zero-emission platform
Persistent Airborne Intelligence
Website
www.kitemill.com
Email
info@kitemill.com
Phone
+47 900 75 724
Memberships & Cooperation
Di5 NORSEC Osker Pedersen
Research Partners
LUT University DTU Politecnico di Milano TU Delft University of Bristol
Projects
AWETRAIN 3D-Circular AWE-KM2
Thomas Hårklau · th@kitemill.com · +47 468 37 117
Specifications subject to change.
Kitewall — a Kitemill brand · Evangervegen 3 · 5703 Voss · Norway