So... a new low for solar power generation efficiency?

How do they plan to generate more energy from the "wind" passing across the drone than it takes to drive the drone through the air.

Ah, another green energy investment scam. Not the first, and it won't be the last. Wireless energy transmission over 15 km is close to impossible, multirotor drones need very regular maintenance, and keeping them up there requires more energy than they can harvest.

Wishful thinking is not going to make it so. Not even with pretty pictures.

Thank you for your comments above.
I would like to assure you all that this is not a scam and this is a serious project. To answer these questions I would like to state that this project is in its early stages and the specific form of the drones are yet to be determined. The information provided above is from preliminary data only.
The final form of the power plants is subject to change pending further research and optimisation. I can also confirm we are already discussing this project with UAV experts who find this project promising and feasible.
The energy requirements for a multirotor UAV are subject to the specification for the aircraft and there is more wind and solar energy potential at higher altitudes than on the ground. These facts have already been identified by other aerial generation projects and we are soon to begin our own research into this subject.
In regards to wireless power transmission, it is feasible to transmit energy over distances far greater then 15Km. The technology for this has already been developed and proven by multiple projects by other bodies.
These projects include Space Energy and the Mitsubishi Solar Bird. These projects all plan to utilise wireless power transmission from space making this a far greater distance than we are proposing. The technology as mentioned has already been proven for feasibility and safety and has been published in papers by these bodies and PG&E have already purchased solar power to be delivered wirelessly using this transmission system to commence from 2016 for ten years. This document is one which is available for viewing on their website and has been since 2009.
There currently exists multiple projects for aerial generation including Makani, Ampyx and Sky wind power of these one does plan to use a multi-rotor drone while others use other solutions. If you have any further comments please contact us by E-Mail and we would be happy to discuss this with you.

A quadrocopter at that altitude is a complete non-starter - the air pressure will be far too low to generate enough thrust to support the weight. It needs the form factor of a U2 to fly that high. Winds can be extremely strong in the stratosphere away from the tropics. Let alone the logistics of getting it there, maintaining it and transmitting the power 15km through clouds....

Three things:
* Inverse square law. How much power can you really transmit to the ground via RF? * Thanks for further ruining the skies for astronomers. Light pollution is bad enough, but actually eclipsing stars and other deep sky objects with these things? * How do you plan to generate more power than wind than required to remain aloft and hovering in a stationary position?
This is surely a scam.

I am rather more intrigued by trying to work out how they get the power onshore - QUOTE: "Using unpopulated airspace over the oceans first" That will presumably need a floating platform for the rectenna network - which, of course will need to be very large as the higher your starting point, the wider your at-ground beam spread - so will need cables etc. to land the power. An on-land rectenna would also take up space often needed for housing, so what next?

This sounds like a scam with a bunch of buzzwords to trap the technically illiterate investor.
Keeping the drones in one place in the strong winds in the upper atmosphere is going to waste a huge amount of energy. Also steering the drones by changing the angle the drone is flying at and aiming the solar panel will inevitably conflict. Finally, to generate power from a wind turbine needs some resistance to the turbine traveling with the wind. If that resistance is coming from powered flight into the wind, it will require more power than the turbines can generate.

When their kickstarter campain ends with $100 in pledges, they will then understand.