With its foils, SEAir is taking Breton naval technology to new heights

Based in Lorient, SEAir has built its reputation by making boats fly thanks to its foils. Today, it is putting this unique expertise to work in defence and maritime innovation, between Brittany Sailing Valley and Europe.

Making ships fly over the waves is in SEAir’s DNA. Since its foundation in 2016, the Lorient-based company has become a benchmark in the design of motorised hydrofoil ships, with around twenty patents developed and registered.

‘Our strength lies in our complete mastery of motorised foils. Since SEAir was founded, we have validated our five fundamental principles at sea: stable, simple, safe, durable and robust,’ says Richard Forest, CEO of the company. ‘We have developed safe and reliable retractable foil systems, highly advanced flight electronics for stability, and robust foils that SEAir guarantees for life. Finally, we have developed a hybrid motorisation system with electric pods, combining diesel engines, transformers and batteries for clean and efficient propulsion.’

Three platforms have been designed and developed in Lorient by SEAir’s 15-strong team: 8-9m, 12m and 20m. They are all available in drone or piloted versions. “Our boats are capable of sailing in winds of up to force 4, or waves of around 2.5 metres — conditions in which a pleasure craft on a semi-rigid hull would not venture out. The foil improves navigation in conditions that would normally be inaccessible. To give you an idea, our 20-metre model has a range of 800 nautical miles round trip, or approximately Brest to the Strait of Gibraltar, at 45 knots in Sea State 4.”

A natural shift towards the defence sector

Since its first trials on a Mini 6.50, the 747, SEAir now puts this expertise at the service of ultra-luxury and defence, having moved away from the more mainstream pleasure craft market. This is a logical repositioning for a company based in the heart of Brittany Sailing Valley, close to the Lanester commando base. ‘One day, we invited them to come aboard one of our ships. They loved the concept.’

Thanks to their stability, speed, discretion and doubled range thanks to 50% fuel savings, SEAir platforms are now attracting the attention of armed forces. Their applications range from maritime surveillance to electronic warfare, special missions and logistical support in areas inaccessible to helicopters.

The SME caught the eye of the European Defence Agency, which asked it to coordinate the European ARROW autonomous surface vessel project. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2028, this drone vessel designed by SEAir will reach a top speed of 45 knots and have an estimated range of 400 miles thanks to its hydrofoils. Designed as a demonstrator for a new generation of USVs, ARROW focuses on operational discretion: its electric propulsion greatly limits noise emissions, while its streamlined design significantly reduces its wave signature. This provides operators with a more agile, stealthy platform that is well suited to reconnaissance or anti-intrusion missions.

In order to ensure the industrialisation phase of its vessels, SEAir has been selected by the investment fund SouvTech Invest as part of a crowdfunding campaign. ‘SEAir is the only expert in the use of foils and electric pods to “dronise” boats. In my opinion, this is a key technology for small maritime drones, up to 20 metres in length. There will no longer be any surface drones without foils, that’s for sure,’ says Pierre-Elie Frossard, co-founder of the platform. The goal is to raise €500,000 in equity to co-finance the development of surface drones with the European Union. ‘Raising funds in the defence sector remains difficult, especially without an order book,’ says Richard Forest. ‘But our operational credibility is now recognised: our 8-metre drone was deployed on a frigate during a NATO exercise, with very positive feedback from the French Navy on its performance.’

In order to ensure the industrialisation phase of its vessels, SEAir has been selected by the investment fund SouvTech Invest as part of a crowdfunding campaign. ‘SEAir is the only expert in the use of foils and electric pods to “dronise” boats. In my opinion, this is a key technology for small maritime drones, up to 20 metres in length. There will no longer be any surface drones without foils, that’s for sure,’ says Pierre-Elie Frossard, co-founder of the platform. The goal is to raise €500,000 in equity to co-finance the development of surface drones with the European Union. ‘Raising funds in the defence sector remains difficult, especially without an order book,’ says Richard Forest. ‘But our operational credibility is now recognised: our 8-metre drone was deployed on a frigate during a NATO exercise, with very positive feedback from the French Navy on its performance.’

The first trials are scheduled to take place in 2026. In anticipation of initial orders, SEAir is simultaneously preparing to industrialise its ships with its partner shipyards. In less than ten years, SEAir has gone from dreaming of flying sailboats to strengthening European maritime sovereignty. This trajectory proves that, in Brittany’s Sailing Valley, innovation can also take on a defensive dimension.