Your mission
Join the future of wind energy
Kitepower is on a mission to contribute to a more sustainable world by flying kites that generate electricity. Founded as a spin-out of Delft University of Technology, we are developing our first commercial system to power farms, construction sites and communities with renewable airborne wind energy.
We believe innovation, collaboration, and purpose can change the world. That’s why we’re building a team of passionate people who want to make a real impact. We keep our structure flat and our culture open. We believe great ideas can come from anyone, anywhere. When you join Kitepower, you help bring clean energy to communities and industries across the planet.
Your profile
We are looking for an intern to join our hardware team in Delft. The hardware team is responsible for designing, developing and maintaining all physical components of our systems, for example the Kite Control Unit (KCU), kites and groundstation. You will have a challenging internship in renewable energy to apply your academic knowledge and gain valuable working experience.
What you will be doing
The main project that you will be working on is improving the Ram Air Turbine. This critical component is responsible for generating onboard electrical power, enabling the aircraft to sustain indefinite flight operations. The improvement efforts will encompass several key areas, including the protective cage/duct, the aerodynamic design (shape and size) of the blades, and the control electronics that govern its operation.
Protective Cage/Duct: The existing protective cage and its integrated duct can be reviewed and redesigned. This will involve analyzing current structural integrity, aerodynamic efficiency, and overall protective capabilities against foreign object debris (FOD) and environmental factors. Potential improvements include optimizing the material selection for enhanced durability and weight reduction, refining the duct’s geometry to improve airflow into the turbine, and integrating advanced noise reduction features.
Shape and Size of the Blades: A significant portion of the project will be dedicated to optimizing the aerodynamic characteristics of the turbine blades. The objective is to maximize power generation efficiency across a wide range of flight conditions while minimizing drag and vibration. Consideration will also be given to advanced manufacturing techniques and materials for the blades to enhance their performance, durability, and reparability.
Control Electronics: The existing control electronics will be upgraded to improve the turbine’s responsiveness, stability, and overall power management capabilities. This will involve the development of more sophisticated algorithms for pitch control, load shedding, and integration with the aircraft’s broader power distribution system.
Should time and resources permit, the improved Ram Air Turbine design will undergo validation through wind tunnel testing. These tests will be crucial for empirically verifying the theoretical performance gains achieved through the design iterations.
Next to that we can use your help for:
Identify and troubleshoot mechanical, electrical and mechatronic issues in the current designs to improve system performance and reliability.
Conduct thorough testing and validation of mechatronic and electronic components to ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.
Aid in the assembly, benchmarking and integrating new or existing system components to ensure flight readiness.
Create and maintain documentation related to electrical and mechatronic designs, including schematics, PCB layouts, and assembly instructions.
About you
You ideally have the following qualities:
Studies in technical discipline (Mechanical, Aerospace, Physics. Electrical, etc.)
Experience with battery systems and energy storage
Knowledge about basic aerodynamics
Enthusiastic about 3D printing
Knowledge of relevant safety standards and regulations for electrical and mechatronic systems.
Good communication and organization skills
Fluent written and spoken English
Good observation skills and ability to give reliable feedback
And if you have more talents to offer… Let us know!
Why us?
At Kitepower, we believe that changing the world should be an exciting and rewarding journey. We invest in our team members' growth and well-being, offering a package that includes:
An internship allowance.
The freedom of taking responsibility and ownership of your own projects within a bigger development.
Valuable working experience in a leading renewable energy start-up
A dynamic culture: a flat and collaborative work environment where your ideas are valued and your voice is heard.
A great team atmosphere in a fast-growing start-up.
Professional growth: continuous learning opportunities in a multidisciplinary field that blends aerospace, mechatronics, power systems and software.
Join us.
If you want to help shape the future of renewable energy, challenge yourself with cutting-edge technology, and make a real impact on the world, Kitepower is the place to be.
About us
