The most efficient carousel design is a continuous loop of rope which supports multiple kites. The loop is driven by kites operating in crosswind mode and a generator attached to the loop extracts energy. The problem with this system is how to start it up. Rather than having each kite on its own reel which unwinds as it launches, I suggest that all the kite tethers be stretched out to their its fullest extent adjacent to the loop, and each kite is launched in this position. After launch, the base of each tether is automatically linked to the carousel loop at fixed points. This process is repeated so that all the kites are attached to the loop. Assuming we have four loading stations ( two on each side of the loop), we can load a 20 kite system in 5 stops. With this system, wind/unwind reels are eliminated which greatly simplifies the operation. While all the kites are being loaded, the loop can be stationary and only indexed to each loading point. When the loop is fully loaded then the carousel can begin its rotation which is pre-programmed by all the kite control units on each kite.
A problem occurs when the kites have to be launched after the wind has changed direction. Some of the tethers might have to cross over the cable drive, so they must be relocated to a different launch location so they can be launched without interfering with the loop. For this reason, the base of the tether must be anchored to a wagon which must be moved to a suitable location adjacent to the loop in order to attach the kite.
Using the same method described above, we can possibly remove a single operating kite from the loop automatically while the loop is turning. In this way, a single kite can be removed for maintenance and then returned back to the loop without stopping the normal operation.
I have yet to see someone propose a method of launching a kite with the tether fully extended without using turbines or assisting drones. The kite must be placed on a lifting frame and raised to a suitable height where the winds are strong enough to enable the kite to continue to launch normally. I have proposed various forms of lifting frames and mechanisms for this purpose.
