“The Chinese are testing the world’s first flying wind turbine with a capacity of one megawatt.”

Chinese company Beijing SAWES Energy Technology Company is preparing to conduct flight tests of a new energy generation system.
It looks similar to an airship, but its task is to produce electricity like a wind turbine. The solution, called S1500, is designed to generate 1 MW of power, which—according to its creators—makes it the world’s first airborne turbine with such capacity.

Energy from an altitude of 1,500 meters

The system stays aloft thanks to helium, which stabilizes the structure and enables operation at about 1,500 meters above the ground. At this altitude, winds are significantly stronger and more stable than in the working zone of traditional onshore turbines.

According to Weng Hanke, Chief Technology Officer at SAWES, wind speed at that height is up to three times greater than at ground level, which can translate into a 27-fold increase in output power.

The S1500 is equipped with 12 carbon-fiber micro-generators installed in a flow channel. The whole system weighs less than a ton, and the generated electricity is transmitted to the ground through a power cable integrated with the tethering line. This makes the turbine function like a flying power plant on a leash—electricity flows from the air to a ground receiving station, and then to the grid or directly to consumers.

Technological leap after earlier trials

The new turbine represents the next stage in technology development.

• In October 2024, the S500 system reached an altitude of 500 meters and produced over 50 kW of energy.
• In January 2025, the S1000 model was lifted to 1,000 meters and delivered around 100 kW of power.
• The new S1500 is meant to be a breakthrough—not only because of its scale, but also due to safety features that, according to the company, will allow uninterrupted operation for more than 25 years.

Applications in challenging conditions

SAWES points out that the flying turbine could be used in locations where building traditional energy infrastructure is difficult or impossible. The system could supply power in crisis situations, rescue missions, or remote research sites.

Ambitious plans – energy from 10 kilometers up

The company does not intend to stop at its current project. Founder and CEO Dun Tianrui announced that the future goal is to lift similar turbines to an altitude of 10,000 meters. At that height, air currents are—according to studies—up to 200 times stronger than near the ground, which could completely change the way we think about wind energy.