From simulation to reality. From code to control. From water to flight.
At Caponnetto Hueber, vessel design extends beyond form: it is fundamentally about behavior. How a craft interacts with water, how it responds to forces, how it adapts in real time. This philosophy was recently brought into focus during a series of sea trials conducted in the Port of Valencia, where an unmanned hydrofoil prototype was tested under real operational conditions.
Developed for a major international client, the objective of these trials was clear: to validate an autonomous flight control system capable of managing the inherent complexity of hydrofoil navigation. By lifting the hull above the water, hydrofoils drastically reduce drag, enabling lower energy consumption, extended operational range and a new benchmark in sustainable maritime mobility.
Yet this efficiency introduces a new paradigm. Stability is no longer a passive characteristic of the hull: it becomes an active, dynamic system. Much like in aviation, maintaining controlled flight over water requires continuous adjustment, driven by intelligent algorithms capable of reacting instantly to waves, speed variations and external forces.
The trials in Valencia represented a critical step in this process. They allowed for the validation of key parameters previously defined through CFD simulations, the testing of control strategies in real-world conditions and the reduction of uncertainty in the transition from prototype to scalable production.
This is where numerical prediction meets physical reality. Where engineering moves beyond theory and becomes trust, measured, validated and ready to perform.
We would like to thank Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, Fundación Valenciaport and Opentop Hub for enabling these trials and supporting the development of advanced maritime innovation.
📍 In the image (from left to right): Yolanda Gregori (Opentop_hub), Alexandre Mercier (Senior Naval Architect, CH), Mario Caponnetto (CTO, CH) and Javier Cubas (Fundación Valencia Port).
From simulation to reality. From code to control. From water to flight.
At Caponnetto Hueber, vessel design extends beyond form: it is fundamentally about behavior. How a craft interacts with water, how it responds to forces, how it adapts in real time. This philosophy was recently brought into focus during a series of sea trials conducted in the Port of Valencia, where an unmanned hydrofoil prototype was tested under real operational conditions.
Developed for a major international client, the objective of these trials was clear: to validate an autonomous flight control system capable of managing the inherent complexity of hydrofoil navigation. By lifting the hull above the water, hydrofoils drastically reduce drag, enabling lower energy consumption, extended operational range and a new benchmark in sustainable maritime mobility.
Yet this efficiency introduces a new paradigm. Stability is no longer a passive characteristic of the hull: it becomes an active, dynamic system. Much like in aviation, maintaining controlled flight over water requires continuous adjustment, driven by intelligent algorithms capable of reacting instantly to waves, speed variations and external forces.
The trials in Valencia represented a critical step in this process. They allowed for the validation of key parameters previously defined through CFD simulations, the testing of control strategies in real-world conditions and the reduction of uncertainty in the transition from prototype to scalable production.
This is where numerical prediction meets physical reality. Where engineering moves beyond theory and becomes trust, measured, validated and ready to perform.
We would like to thank Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, Fundación Valenciaport and Opentop Hub for enabling these trials and supporting the development of advanced maritime innovation.
📍 In the image (from left to right): Yolanda Gregori (Opentop_hub), Alexandre Mercier (Senior Naval Architect, CH), Mario Caponnetto (CTO, CH) and Javier Cubas (Fundación Valencia Port).
From simulation to reality. From code to control. From water to flight.
At Caponnetto Hueber, vessel design extends beyond form: it is fundamentally about behavior. How a craft interacts with water, how it responds to forces, how it adapts in real time. This philosophy was recently brought into focus during a series of sea trials conducted in the Port of Valencia, where an unmanned hydrofoil prototype was tested under real operational conditions.
Developed for a major international client, the objective of these trials was clear: to validate an autonomous flight control system capable of managing the inherent complexity of hydrofoil navigation. By lifting the hull above the water, hydrofoils drastically reduce drag, enabling lower energy consumption, extended operational range and a new benchmark in sustainable maritime mobility.
Yet this efficiency introduces a new paradigm. Stability is no longer a passive characteristic of the hull: it becomes an active, dynamic system. Much like in aviation, maintaining controlled flight over water requires continuous adjustment, driven by intelligent algorithms capable of reacting instantly to waves, speed variations and external forces.
The trials in Valencia represented a critical step in this process. They allowed for the validation of key parameters previously defined through CFD simulations, the testing of control strategies in real-world conditions and the reduction of uncertainty in the transition from prototype to scalable production.
This is where numerical prediction meets physical reality. Where engineering moves beyond theory and becomes trust, measured, validated and ready to perform.
We would like to thank Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, Fundación Valenciaport and Opentop Hub for enabling these trials and supporting the development of advanced maritime innovation.
📍 In the image (from left to right): Yolanda Gregori (Opentop_hub), Alexandre Mercier (Senior Naval Architect, CH), Mario Caponnetto (CTO, CH) and Javier Cubas (Fundación Valencia Port).
During the 33rd America’s Cup cycle, Mario Caponnetto contributed to hydrodynamic assessment workstreams aligned with the BMW Oracle wing-sail platform, the configuration that ultimately won the Match. This milestone marked the shift toward aero-hydrodynamic integration in Cup design culture.
BMW Oracle Racing
America’s Cup / Aero-Hydro Integration / Performance Engineering
In 2021, Caponnetto Hueber led the CFD, foil design, and hydrodynamic engineering for the AC75 of Luna Rossa Challenge, the eventual Prada Cup winner. We deployed multiscale CFD and aero-hydro coupling to ensure optimum lift and control. Rapid iteration delivered performance gains under tight competition timelines.
Luna Rossa Challenge
Racing Concept / CFD / Foil Design