my impression from the few I've met is the main reward is the paid travel to top places with new gear.
As for drones, the tech is there already to pull you with a drone. it is just too expensive and energy inefficient. but this would be like being pulled by a remote-controlled or automatically-controlled jet ski, which we can also do for the past 20+ years but this is not happening. not only expensive and energy inefficient, but it would also be boring.
We're not in it for the kiting, we're in it for moving on the water. A kite just gets in the way of that and you'll have better options like a drone in the future.
Sailing industry will collapse too I've been told, when industrial strenght drones will be commonplace.
Sorry to disagree, we already have boats for that and is called wakeboard
Complete and utter garbage about drones. Absolutely no way could you control a drone to generate the power, lift and subtlety of force and direction of pull that a kite can manage. And they would run out of power in about 25 minutes. Total fantasy that they will ever be commonly used for kitesurfing.
This is not fantasy about kite drones. Two years ago was video how Latvians did kiting with kitedrone. 8 propellers. But they did with tt, what is very hard drag. They even did base jump lifted by drone to 500 meters (still its another sport but can ne relayed still with kite jumps too). If you know today already good electric scooters going with max 70-90 km speed in 70-80 km range easy (they costs above 2000 usd, what is quite as new kite price ).So batteries will improove very quickly to have kite drone lasting for 1-2 hours of working. Its quite enought for kiting pleasure. Even if you can have second battery for quick replacement. Its coming. And of course its related with big kite marked changes and pro salaries changes to even worse way.
Kitedrone - they are safe as they can have sensors of distance, avoid objects distance and etc. Take soloshoot drone which seeking of fixed person easy during filming. This company which will release normal working kite drone will be new marked start for sure, as all will count that better to have kitedrone and kite in zero wind than to buy new kite and you can have old you kite or buy used if you want so much this old style, but future is kitedrone no any doubt.
Last edited by a99 on Sun Jan 05, 2020 2:18 am, edited 5 times in total.
they dont make shit ! but everything is free for them .
15 year later you wake up with fucked up knees and back without retirement and savings.
Cool live style but......
I rather assume e-foils Will pick up a lot if prices come down.
I catch myself thinking to buy one one day for light wind days...but would never consider to take a foil for kiting...
I also assume e-foils will be a most wanted accessory for many yachts.
Drone? Some yes, but not mass
agree on drones.
the whole purpose of using the kite is to harness the wind
just like with a sailboat..
just there is a motor there.. and yes some folks do motor everywhere.. but the purpose is to use the wind to propel the craft.