Sailing towards a sustainable future

Empowering tomorrow’s engineers with sustainable innovation

A dynamic student association from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), a prestigious university in Switzerland, is making waves in the renewable energy sector. With a mission to transform maritime transport, they have set out to build foiling boats powered by renewable energy.

They’ve already successfully built a solar-powered boat and are now working on a hybrid solar/hydrogen boat. Their first boat was built to compete in the Solar Class of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. They competed in 2021 and 2022 and achieved impressive results.

Now they’re setting their sights on the Sealab Class with a new boat powered by both hydrogen and solar energy.

Smooth sailing with a reliable IMU

The EPFL student association faced a number of technical challenges in realising their vision. They needed an accurate and reliable IMU to measure roll, pitch, and yaw, essential for adjusting the foil angle and ensuring stable flight.

In addition, accurate speed and heading data was essential to optimise performance. They needed a reliable solution that could withstand the rigours of the marine environment and integrate seamlessly with their flight control software.

SBG Systems solution and IMU integration with the boat

Ellipse-N proved to be ideal for their needs. With its advanced IMU capabilities, it provided accurate orientation and motion measurements. Integrating Ellipse-N into their flight control software became the foundation of their boat’s navigation system, ensuring precise control and stability.

Commenting on  Ellipse-N’s, Jules Bervillé, Head of Electronics software division, had to say this: “Ellipse N is one of the elements that we can trust 100% every time we turn on the boat. It is the core of our flight control software and without it, our boat would be blind”.

Team Swiss Solar Boat next big step

Driven by a passion for sustainability and a commitment to innovation, the team envisions a future where their boats lead the way in renewable maritime transportation. Their next ambition is to scale up their efforts, integrating hydrogen energy into larger and faster vessels.

Small steps, big impact: Towards sustainability

The partnership between the EPFL student group and SBG Systems shows how working together can bring new ideas to life. With their shared commitment to excellence and sustainability, they are proving that even the smallest of vessels can have a big impact on the seas of tomorrow.