Beta Freefoil

The Beta Freefoil: Simplifying Hydrofoil Design

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

These timeless words from Leonardo da Vinci come to mind when looking at the design of the Beta Freefoil by Todd Reichert, particularly when viewed in the context of the history of human-powered hydrofoils.

The Beta Freefoil generates thrust through the principle of flapping wing propulsion, much like birds or a dolphin's fin, and similar to human-powered hydrofoils like the Wasserläufer, Trampofoil, Aquaskipper, and Pumpabike before. However, it stands apart by achieving this without any moving parts and featuring a minimalist design. This approach offers several advantages, including improved efficiency, reduced risk of mechanical failure and a more immersive sensation of flight.

Also it just looks better.

Beta Freefoil Facts

Inventor: Todd Reichert
Foil weight: 5.5 kg (12.1 lbs)
Wing span: 2.1 m (82.7 in)
Wing area: 2100 sq cm (326 sq inch)
Wing aspect ratio: 21.0
Tail area: 340 sq cm (53 sq inch)
Mast height: 73 cm (28.7 in)
Board attachment: 90 x 165 mm bolt hole pattern for standard foil tracks.
First prototype: July 2021. Hundreds of prototype parts were needed to grow the endurance slowly from 30 seconds to 2.5 hours.
First released for sale: July 9th, 2023
Second version released: August 21st, 2024

About the Inventor Todd Reichert

"This is not a human operating a flying machine. This is a human flying."

Canadian born Todd Reichert has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from University of Toronto on the aerodynamics of bird flight. Building the Beta Freefoil is far from his first endeavor in the world of human power.

In 2010, he made history by building the world’s first human-powered ornithopter, realizing humanity’s timeless dream of flying like a bird. In doing so, he also proved himself a true scholar of Leonardo da Vinci, bringing to life one of the great visionary’s most ambitious dreams.

In 2013 he won the Sikorsky prize for building and flying a human-powered helicopter.

And he is the current human-powered land-speed record holder with an astonishing 144.17 km/hr  or 89.59 mph.

You can find out more about these projects on his website www.aerovelo.com

Q&A with Todd

Todd was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.

What are some interesting or surprising things you learned during the invention process?

When I started the goal was just to figure out if it was physically possible to fly for a long time with a weight-shift controlled, surf-board style hydrofoil. I knew we would eventually need to figure out how to launch, but if it wasn't even possible to fly a long time, then there's no need to figure out launching! ha. By the time I had a wing big enough to fly for a long time, I also realized that it was possible to jump off beaches and rocks. This is when the concept of "freefoiling" came to be. As we spent more time exploring lakes and learned new ways to launch, we realized the potential for a new sport. When I first started I never anticipated being able to do this. Every concept for how to launch involved heavy pontoons, boards or motors that added complexity and hurt the flying experience by adding weight and pitch inertia. But now, the best design for launching is the best design once you're flying: small, and lightweight! This was the most exciting and unexpected turn of events in the entire design process.

What is the meaning behind the name Betafoils?

Beta simply means that we are always trying something new, we will always have a new concept that we are Beta testing. At its core, Beta is about research and development and about figuring out what is physically possible with the technology and the human body.

Freefoiling is the name we came up with for the sport, and also for the product. This new sport involves flying above the water under your own power, from one location to another, launching from docks, rocks, beaches or whatever you may find along the way. Similar to freediving and freeclimbing, through the mastery of a challenging skill, you're able to do something incredible with the minimum gear possible.

Has someone attached your wing to an SUP board and tried a water start yet?

We haven't tried attaching it to a SUP board yet. The paddles interfere a bit with the dual mast, so it's best to just pump it into the air like other people have with long torpedo boards. There's no reason it wouldn't work, but we don't advertise it. The long boards are just too heavy and have too much inertia for a good pumping experience.