contact@platypuscraft.com

François-Alexandre Bertrand

CEO - Platypus Craft
In 2022, we celebrated the 13 years of the Platypus idea, a device capable of navigating on or under water, an idea born in Australia, a country that gave its name to the project, the Platypus being the Australian name of thePlatypus. In the image of this curious animal, the boat that bears its name is astonishing, has aptitudes and applications in total disruption with the existing: I wanted to build a boat that allows to move and have fun on the surface, but that can can also be used to explore the funds Underwater In small depth: often the most beautiful one is a few meters under water... This is +10 years day to day after the idea that the platypus will touch a lagoon for the preITime of his floats and that he can finally show what is capable of such a device. I thank all the people and there are many !- Which allowed the platypus, a simple idea at the outset, a concept, a prototype and finally an operational and economic reality.

Platypus Milestone

From dream to reality

2009 > 2011

Idea & Patent

The history of the Platypus starts in 2009 by diving in Australia on the Great Barrier Reef: François-Alexandre Bertrand realizes there is a missing link between diving and boat word, surface and submarine dimension. This adventure gives its name to the concept, the platypus being the Australian name of the platypus, This species Duck-headed Beaver, amazing amphibious animal. End 2009, a world patent is protecting the idea, the first studies begin in 2011 with the architect Naval Perspective Design for the design and Prototype Composite Solutions for the building.

2012 > 2013

Prototype

The prototype is built in 2012 by PCS (Prototype Composite Solutions) shipyard in Sables d’Olonne, France.

The hull is built in cork fiber and engines are fully electric, thanks to both partners Elvis Energy.

The first tests of the prototype in navigation under-Marine are made in 2013 demonstrating the relevance of the concept. But if the concept is proofed, the way is still long before achieving a ready to market version.

The project is stand by from 2013 to 2016.

2016

Second life of the project

In 2016, Platypus Craft signed an agreement with the manufacturer of innovative mechanical machines, CDO Innov, to build the final version.

As a first start, the prototype is refitted in order being perfectly functional: thanks to all efforts, the prototype is making a demo in Saint Tropez during the summer and is creating a huge media impact, being highlighted in several French TV news (France 2, France 3, M6, BFM) and international news (BBC, news atlas…).

The success of the trials and the impact in the media is convincing many actors to focus on the project and get on board: the famous naval architect Marc Van Peteghem, founder of VPLP design firm is joining the platypus team in order to design the new boat.

Very quickly, it appears that the final version will be quite different from the prototype, switching from a Catamaran Electric cork Fiber prototype to an impressive aluminum trimaran powerfully motorized for the final version.

The French Sea Pole awards the project the innovative Project title of the year 2016 and the ADEME provides a substantial subsidy to finance the studies.

This is the “second life” of the project !

2017

New design

End 2016 the first design studies of the new version are starting with VPLP Design.

MI 2017 the form is finalized. The construction can finally start with CDO Innov.

First design: we start from a bigger catamaran for 3 pax…

2018

PLATYPUS IS BORN

The Platypus is exhibited in world premiere at the Paris Diving Show in January 2018 !

Once exposed, the new Platypus Model is tested intensively throughout the year, the tuning is long, all teams of CDO Innov, Platypus Craft and VPLP are on the bridge to make the “diving ship” fully operational before its delivery to its first customer SEASCAPE In New Caledonia.

The commitment with the customer is that the boat does not leave France until it is perfect!

The result is beyond our expectations: she sails at almost 20 knots on the surface, embarks 8 persons (homologated for 5), is remarkably stable on the water as under water (one of the main objectives to be held!), rises and descends without fail… Successful Mission! The boat is declared good for the service!

2019

First customer and 2nd fundraising

The Platypus takes flight with delivery to its first customer Seascape to Noumea And the expression of interest of many diving centers around the world, from the great resort To the little diving club.

A fundraiser is in progress for EUR 1.5 million to optimize the current boat and deploy the product range and of course sell it around the world.

This range will go from the Pro version, basic and solid as a rock, available from 125 000 EUR HT to the yacht version Electric To 575 000 EUR all carbon.

It is in May 2019 that we celebrated the 10 years of the idea of the platypus by the founder of Platypus craft, François-Alexandre Bertrand, during his dives on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

10 years later in the month the platypus wet its floats in the lagoon of Noumea.

This is the real beginning of an incredible adventure, Human and industrial.

2020 > 2022

Swordfish revealed

As many person and companies, the year 2020 has been definitely a particular year for us and our friends. Our fundraising and first sales has been canceled in march and April due to the lockdown and the risk of economic crisis in touristic market. In Platypus Craft, we know our concept can be declined on several markets and worldwide so we decided to investigate two markets we were expecting to jump in later, we just did it a little bit earlier: yachting and environment .
Thanks to our new partnership with the amazing L2concept and Factory Unit companies, we have developed in a short deadline of 3 month during the lockdown the disruptive yachting model called « Swordfish », a ship with an incredible « James Bond style » design with the unique Platypus capacity, to navigate on or under the surface.

As we are receiving the first manifestation of interest for our Swordfish, we are working hard on the main motivation of Platypus’ concept existence: environment and more particularly the development of a boat able to detect, geolocalize, collect and store the plastic trash floating on the water, un der the surface or sleeping on the seabed, alongside seacoast in shallow waters.
We are expecting to show the first pix end of the year 2020

Discover the Platypus

The Platypus is a revolutionary nautical concept of shallow underwater exploration, a semi-submersible nautical device, allowing to navigate above or under the water.