- Valenciaport’s Opentop Living Labs are enabling the validation of Caponnetto Hubber’s autonomous flight control system, a milestone in the development of sustainable maritime mobility
- Unmanned electric hydrofoils represent the convergence of electrification, automation, and hydrodynamic efficiency
Valencia, March 30, 2026. -The Port of Valencia has hosted a pioneering pilot test as part of the Opentop Living Labs initiative: the validation of the autonomous flight control system for a prototype unmanned hydrofoil vessel, developed by the innovative company Caponnetto Hubber for a major international client. The test, facilitated by Opentop, as an open innovation hub, reinforces Valenciaport’s position as a benchmark for advanced testing of maritime technologies under real-world conditions.
On this occasion, the main objective of the tests conducted in Valencia was precisely to validate a novel autonomous hydrofoil control system in a port environment, which allowed for the verification of critical parameters previously defined in a virtual environment, adjusting the control algorithms to real navigation conditions to minimize risks in the subsequent phases of the prototype’s industrialization. This validation process is fundamental to the development of advanced navigation systems and highlights the value of having an operational port environment as a testing ground.
Statement by Juan Manuel Díez, Head of Innovation at the Port Authority of Valencia
At the Port Authority of Valencia, we support this initiative because it aligns with our commitment to technology companies and startups: providing them with a real-world environment in which to test their prototypes and proof-of-concepts. The pilot conducted with Caponnetto Hubber demonstrates how Valenciaport can actively contribute to the development of technologies that are redefining maritime mobility toward more sustainable and intelligent models.
Validating in a real port environment is not just another step in the innovation process: it is the step that makes all the difference. At Valenciaport, we will continue to promote this type of testing, because it is the foundation of the ports of the future.
Statement by Salvador Furió, Director of Innovation and Development at the Cluster
This pilot reflects the work we are carrying out at the Valenciaport Foundation to bring cutting-edge technologies to Valenciaport. Through Opentop, we act as a bridge between startups and the sector’s real needs, and cases like this demonstrate the value of that model, which we want to continue developing because it generates concrete results. That is why we encourage all innovators to discover how Opentop can help them break into the logistics-port sector.
About Valenciaport’s Opentop Living Labs
Valenciaport’s Opentop Living Labs offer startups and tech companies access to real port infrastructure to test prototypes and conduct proof-of-concept trials under operational conditions at the three ports managed by the Port Authority of Valencia: Valencia, Sagunto, and Gandía.
This service allows innovative projects to obtain real-world metrics, validate their solutions, and accelerate their technological development with the backing of Valenciaport, one of the most significant port innovation hubs in the Mediterranean.
About the Tested Technical Innovation
Unlike conventional vessels, hydrofoils lift the hull out of the water using submerged wings, significantly reducing drag and, consequently, energy consumption. This principle makes them a strategic solution within current trends in the naval sector: the convergence of electrification, automation, and hydrodynamic efficiency.
This type of vessel requires highly complex control systems- equivalent to an aeronautical “autopilot”-capable of managing variables such as flight height, wave disturbances, and speed changes in real time.
