The renewable energy vehicle (REV) project at the University of Western Australia has partnered with technology partner Electro.Aero to develop the first hydrofoil watercraft, named WaveFlyer.
The WaveFlyer looks like a conventional jet ski when it is stationary, but rises above the water during operation using an actively stabilized hydrofoil propulsion system. It is much quieter, uses less energy and produces no emissions compared to alternative fuels.
“It is loaded with two kilowatt-hours of energy in lithium-ion batteries, so the watercraft can operate for more than 30 minutes while carrying two riders,” Professor Braunl said.
“The new WaveFlyer feels more like flying above water rather than riding a conventional jet-ski. I can see tremendous commercial potential for this eco-friendly watercraft.
“Its development has been made possible by funding from Galaxy Resources to support the research, and the expertise of Electro.Aero in building electric propulsion and flight control systems.”
Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder of Electro.Aero Joshua Portlock said: “We are very excited about the WaveDrive stabilized hydrofoil electric propulsion system we developed for the WaveFlyer prototype, as it is a technology that could help revolutionize the watercraft industry,”
WaveFlyer's development was also supported by donations from electronics companies Altronics, Nvidia and X-Sens. via http://revproject.com/vehicles/hydrofoil.php.
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