Solar Boat Twente: Aquila, the Next Wave of Innovation

Electrical Engineering with ‘Aquila’, our newest solar boat!

Our year began with understanding the basic principles that were used in the boat by the team previous year, once we knew how everything has been done we could make summary of all the pros and cons we had and we started making a workplan on all the things we wanted to do to make the boat as efficient, reliable and fast as possible.

This year, as a team, we have saved 17 kg’s alone with just the electronics by replacing the battery with a completely custom made semi-solid state battery. Including custom-made PCB’s that have been assembled by Eurocircuits. Furthermore, we reimagined the entire layout of the cockpit electronics, moving key systems closer to the user interface, improving both accessibility and reliability. By integrating our electronics directly into the cockpit structure, we not only saved on wiring weight and space, but also greatly enhanced the reliability of the entire system. This modular approach allows us to isolate and troubleshoot individual systems more efficiently, reducing downtime and increasing safety during operation.

The new semi-solid state battery is one of the biggest breakthroughs on this year’s boat. Weighing just 9 kilograms, it delivers outstanding energy density and thermal stability, giving us longer runtime without compromising on safety. Its compact form factor allowed us to lower the center of mass and improve balance across the hull—especially important with our new hydrofoil configuration.

In parallel, our new PCBs—designed in-house and manufactured in partnership with Eurocircuits—are tailored specifically for marine environments. With reinforced protection against salt, moisture, and vibration, they manage data acquisition, motor control, and telemetry more reliably than ever before. Each board was rigorously tested and tuned for minimal power loss and maximum signal integrity, helping push our control precision to a new level.

Beyond hardware, we’ve completely rewritten the software architecture from the ground up. Built with modularity and scalability in mind, our new system supports real-time diagnostics, adaptive motor tuning, and seamless integration with our telemetry and mission planning tools. Whether during qualification laps or in the heat of competition, our control team now has deeper insight into performance metrics and system health than any previous generation.

In combination with our upgraded propulsion and hydrofoil systems, these improvements mean our solar boat is not only lighter and faster, but smarter and more dependable than ever before, with special thanks to Eurocircuits!

For more information please visit the Solar Boat Twente website.