The Hydronautes — a citizen-science project that almost capsized over a boat theft
France 3 covers BIUTOPIC's citizen-science project and the theft that nearly derailed it.
BIUTOPIC builds technology that gives boats a second life — and rivers a voice.
HYDRO-01, our autonomous test platform, is in field trials in the North Atlantic.
Hydronaute (HYDRO-02) opens to the public this season in Nantes — on the Erdre, in silence.
An ordinary barge, retrofitted: its modular exoskeleton is what makes it solar, electric, smart and silent. A structure designed to adapt to other existing hulls.
This is no ordinary pleasure boat:
it's the first demonstrator of an ecological retrofit system.
The boat is the starting point. The core innovation is its exoskeleton:
a modular structure designed to turn existing hulls
into solar, electric and scientific platforms.
Tomorrow, every trip can become an act of research: observing, sampling, measuring,
and better understanding the invisible plastics travelling toward the ocean.
Scroll to cross
Act I · North Atlantic — HYDRO-01. The autonomous prototype is already sailing open waters.
Act II · The Erdre, Nantes — HYDRO-02. L’Hydronaute, the first public demonstrator. Solar, electric, in silence.
Act III · The product — The exoskeleton. A modular structure designed to adapt to existing hulls.
From the Atlantic to the Erdre — a prototype in trials, a demonstrator in Nantes, an exoskeleton for existing hulls.
Passenger · Early access
Embark
Sail the Erdre. Founder rate on request — 8 spots.
Pre-book →Researcher · Platform
Research
The boat as a field platform. Sensors, biodiversity, open data.
Propose a mission →Partner · Institution
Build
BIUTOPIC SAS · mission-driven company (ESS / ESUS) Backed by Bpifrance, France Active, Région Pays de la Loire
See the dossier →Credibility
What exists today. What's being validated. What we're building.
Already here
HYDRO-01, autonomous test platform in North Atlantic field trials · Renaud 8000 hull restored for HYDRO-02 · electric propulsion · solar structure · onboard platform.
Being validated
Solar range · sensors · microplastic protocols · environmental data · assisted navigation.
What we're building
A modular river-retrofit system replicable on other boats, rivers, canals and coastal waters.
HYDRO-01 · Field tests
The prototype is already in the field.
HYDRO-01, BIUTOPIC's autonomous test platform, is under test in the North Atlantic: solar-yield trials under near-continuous daylight, acoustic recording of real marine noise. Every sortie feeds HYDRO-02 — L'Hydronaute.
Discover HYDRO-01Numbers
The boat, in numbers
Energy, sensors, navigation: living data, some validated, others still being measured.
Energy & performance
Solar power
—
4 × 500 W + 2 × 470 W bifacial
Solar range
—
100% solar · range being validated
in progressCO₂ emissions
—
Zero direct emissions · no fossil fuel on board · silent
Filtered / 10 h
—
Microplastics · capacity being validated
in progressFilter mass
—
Filter capacity · µm threshold · validating
in progressParticle size
—
Microplastics · fibres · fragments
in progress Research & sensors
Active research axes
—
Microplastics · river retrofit · Université Gustave Eiffel
in progressTotal km sailed
—
Mission cumulative · acquiring
in progressActive sensors
—
Temp · pH · turbidity · O₂ · GPS
in progressNatura 2000 zone
—
Natura 2000 · river biodiversity
Embedded scientist
—
Field missions · PhD · protocols
in progressOpen data
—
Citizen science · open data · onboard
Navigation & use
Propulsion
—
Rim drive · IP68 · silent · 62 kgf
Steering
—
Assisted navigation · onboard supervision · smart steering
Bird species
—
Observed yearly · Erdre Natura 2000
Max passengers
—
Subject to validation · licence-free rental · pre-departure briefing
Cabins
—
Final fit-out being validated
Length
—
Beam 4 m · Renaud 8000 barge (1987)
Press
Coverage
3 articles
Stargate — boat behind a science project — stolen, then recovered after an improvised chase on the Erdre
The Nantes river community mobilises — L'Hydronaute and Elven Villecourt at the centre of the action.
The “Stargate”, boat stolen in Nantes, recovered 24 hours later thanks to broad mobilisation
A look back at the collective effort and the river community's role in cracking the case.
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08 — Board
Board, research, build.
Passenger · Pre-board
Pre-board
Sail the Erdre in silence. Founder rate on request — 10% deposit, refundable until we confirm.
Pre-book →Researcher · Experiment
Experiment
Use Hydronaute as a field platform: sensors, water, biodiversity, microplastics, monitoring protocols.
Propose a mission →Partner · Deploy
Deploy
Back the first demonstrator of a solar-electric, scientific, replicable river retrofit.
See the dossier →Questions, partnerships, press: hydronaute@biutopic.com