Sea Bubbles, strange “flying taxis”, were tested Sunday on the Seine in Paris. They will be presented at the Salon Vivatech, which is held in the capital from the 24th to 26th May.
Tests of Sea Bubbles, these “flying taxis” on the water resumed in Paris , after 6 months of suspension, said on Sunday to the AFP.
A new test took place on the Seine of this machine with electric propulsion, whose inventor is the navigator Alain Thébault. PS Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo has been supporting the project since its inception.
.@Gwenaelleb & @MathieuRosemain you are more than welcome 👍😂🏄♂️ next week before @VivaTech #SeaBubles 🚀 @Reuters @thomsonreuters 🇬🇧@ReutersTV pic.twitter.com/YWVrEJK60p
— Alain Thébault (@Alain_Thebault) May 20, 2018
“Zero noise, zero wave and zero emissions” of carbon
The Sea Bubbles, small white boats, take up the principle of the hydrofoil developed by M. Thébault, with “foils”, sort of submerged fiberglass arches which, thanks to the speed, keep the boat out of the water. water about 50 cm above the waves.
They produce “zero noise, zero wave and zero emissions” of carbon, enthuses Thébault.
At the end of October, the navigator had seemed to throw in the towel because of red tape, before turning to abroad where he also promotes his gear.
Since, “all the lights have gone green,” he told AFP, a few days before a presentation of his “bubbles” at the Salon Vivatech in Paris (from Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th May), where they will be available for pre-order. One of these boats will be exposed, two will stay on the river.
Tests are underway in Paris, to test the operation of the machine “in the current, vis-à-vis traffic on the Seine, etc.”.
Nouveaux tests sur la Seine pour les Sea Bubbles, des engins qui “volent” 50 cm au-dessus de l’eau pic.twitter.com/qrL5rl8m7U
— CNEWS (@CNEWS) May 20, 2018
Limited to 12 and 18 km/h
A version can operate at 12 and 18 km/h, speeds of “flight” which had been a stumbling block between the inventors and the authorities.
The regulations impose a maximum authorized speed on the Seine of 12 km/h in the city center, 18 km/h beyond, while the “flying taxis”, in their first versions, were made to navigate at 50 km/h.
A first prototype “bubble” was tested on June 16, 2017 on the Seine with the mayor of Paris who “continues to support this innovative and ambitious project” contributing to the preservation of the environment, according to the City of Paris.
