What Happened to VEFoil

Just wondering what happened to VEFoil - great idea about using a duct. But haven’t seen anything yet on their release.

Heard nothing anymore… think disappearde with the backers money :upside_down_face:

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Would be great to get an update from Chris @VeFoil but he’s gone completely silent.

I guess it’s possible he’s working on something in stealth but more likely he’s abandoned the project and taken the money (my small deposit along with many other early supporters $$) and run.

Disappointing.

That is too bad - looked like a viable design.

Then, we’re not in a case where “backers” did send 4500usd like Waydoo. I remember that the average amount of money was in the 50-100usd range. That was to allow him to buy different gears for testing that individuals could not buy.

Yes but waydoo delivers and in my opinion quite good product, if you relate it to the price they charged. So if I remember they had delivery delay of about 2months but now shipped it and if you compare that to other project I think 2 month is nothing… I believe its a great thing that they are supercharged by dji... we wont see them disappear soon :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

No they are not. DJI did a small investment in the parent company that Waydoo was formed under which didn’t relate to anything with Waydoo at the time. Therefore it will have no bearing on how Waydoo perform at all. They don’t sit on the board of any of the companies…

Ok did not know that, but at least DJI did admit that they supercharged waydoo…
How come you know who sits in their board? Is there any online site where you can see the ownershipt of chinese companies? Would be very cool if you share your insider knowledge :wink:

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Where they admit that (proof)?

From 2019:

https://medium.com/@pr_27016/electric-hydrofoil-surfboard-waydoo-flyer-to-be-unveiled-at-ces-2019-40b370caaa87

Waydoo is exhibiting and showcasing its board at CES, booth #25733 as well as at DJI’s booth #25602.

Waydoo was founded in 2018 and has a team over 50. It was born out of a passion for surfing and robust experience in structural design, dynamics, industrial design, motor design, and manufacturing. Waydoo is a subsidiary of TXA UAV, a China-based agricultural drone spraying company that received investment from DJI.

DJI invested in the drone spraying company. Not waydoo. It’s a very big and important difference!

My understanding is the founders of both companies are close friends.

I don’t think Waydoo would have been showing their boards at the DJI booth at CES 2019 if there wasn’t a business relationship.

An efoil is just something extra to pull someone into a drone stand. It’s just good advertising! DJI drones were never cheap upfront like Waydoo foils. They used a completely different marketing technique so I can guarantee DJI has nothing to do with the running of Waydoo.

Please. Read again the title of this topic. To talk about Waydoo open a new one please

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Interestingly Audi engineers build a duct-style eFoil prototype under their e-tron brand:


https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsiu7XXBNFd/

I believe it may be produced commercially under a separate company: https://aerofoils.de/

Pretty cool - will be watching for it

Regarding VEFoil - jets are only good if you can expel the exhaust water above the waterline into the air. Higher output velocity means more mass*v2 out the back, more force going forward. They aren’t that efficient when deep submerged flow and a prop is just better, even with a duct. You see jets when petrol is power source, because no need for efficiency. Can’t make it viable with batteries IMO. He tried and good on him for having a go, did great work, and I wouldn’t hold it against him that he lost that money - it was always speculative.

Regarding Waydoo - I heard it was a former DJI employee, who had engineering insight into DJI products, and that’s the IP that was shared. One guy. I don’t know this for sure, it’s just a story I heard. Apart from that, the two products are too different from an electronics perspective for there to be a serious IP transfer. Scale of power, style of motor drive, the waterproofing know how. The DJI thing helped marketing probably, makes an association in your mind. They would have learned more from reversing engineering a Lift and a Flite. They also have an Australian partner I think? Not sure who or if they brought IP, money or distribution.

But seeing the Waydoo hit the shelves probably was a nail in the coffin for a few eFoil startups, including VEFoil.

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You are absolutely right on the jet propulsion in water versus a prop. What I liked about the idea of the jet was safety and VEFoil concept of shutting the flow through the intake to reduce drag when riding a wave.

No issue with losing money or the project failing. My issue is that Chris @VeFoil went totally AWOL. Silent. That’s disrespectful to people who backed you from the start. Disappointing.

Good point. I hope he’s OK and not in hospital or something :slight_smile: