TwingTec
Swiss EMPA spin-off developing autonomous tethered-drone turbines (TT100) that harvest high-altitude wind energy without towers or foundations.
TwingTec AG is a Swiss technology company founded in 2013 as a spin-off from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, and develops autonomous tethered airborne wind energy systems designed to harvest high-altitude wind resources that remain inaccessible to conventional tower-mounted wind turbines. The company's core technology, reflected in its name derived from the term tethered wing, centers on an airplane-like drone connected to a ground-based power generator by a pulley-and-cable tether system that converts the aerodynamic lift and tension of the flying wing into electrical energy at the ground station. TwingTec's systems operate at altitudes of up to 500 meters, where wind speeds can be up to eight times greater than at the 120-meter hub height typical of modern commercial wind turbines, unlocking a substantially richer wind resource for power generation.
The TwingTec drone features a rigid wing with vertical propellers embedded in each of its two broad wings, enabling vertical takeoff and landing capability without requiring a dedicated runway or launch infrastructure. Once airborne, the system transitions into a crosswind circular flight pattern that maximizes tether tension and power extraction at the ground station generator. This architecture eliminates the need for a tall steel tower structure, significantly reducing material cost, installation complexity, and land footprint, and the entire system can be containerized and transported by truck, enabling deployment at remote or off-grid sites where conventional wind turbines would be logistically infeasible.
TwingTec has received European Commission Horizon 2020 funding through its project titled Unlocking the Full Power of Wind, and the company has been recognized by the Solar Impulse Foundation as a provider of a verified clean technology solution. The company's TT100 model targets mobile and remote power generation, including hybrid operation alongside diesel generators in off-grid environments, with the broader product range spanning portable power supply through mobile and offshore wind farm configurations. Commercial pilot trials of TwingTec systems conducted in Switzerland reported autonomous flight cycle reliability rates exceeding 96% as of 2025, demonstrating the advancing maturity of the autonomous flight control and tether management technology at the heart of the platform.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
TT100 Airborne Wind Energy System
Autonomous tethered-drone turbine that takes off via VTOL, ascends to high altitude, then flies figure-eight patterns like a kite to drive a ground-based generator producing up to 100 kW.
Contact TwingTec
WEBSITE
https://twingtec.chHEADQUARTERS
Switzerland
Company Facts
Founded
2013
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
-
Primary Region
Europe
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
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