High-altitude wind is an enormous pool of energy that has long remained unused. Because all concepts to harness it involve a flying device attached to the ground on a line, the power it delivers is called airborne wind energy (AWE). Simple physics can explain why it is so promising: Whereas surface friction reduces wind speeds closer to the ground, the air can move uninhibited at higher altitudes. Depending on the location and time of day, speeds can be twice or even three times faster. The effect this has on generating electricity is increased because the wind’s force calculates as the cube of its velocity. When the wind speed doubles, the power increases by 2³ = 8, when it triples, its force increases by 33 = 27 times! This characteristic and additional advantages are what make airborne wind energy so vital in fulfilling the global energy transition.