Throughout Zhang Yunfei’s life, his imagination has spiraled up into 바카라사이트 clouds, plunged deep into 바카라사이트 ocean, and eventually rocketed outwards into 바카라사이트 creation of a unicorn company. His journey to success was an illuminating one, through postgraduate study and on to entrepreneurship, and one of 바카라사이트 most significant discoveries 바카라사이트 young entrepreneur made along 바카라사이트 way was recognizing 바카라사이트 value of a supportive learning and research environment. As an HKUST alumnus, he saw first-hand 바카라사이트 benefits of accessible, well-managed state of 바카라사이트 art research facilities, and it was also at HKUST where he cultivated 바카라사이트 hobbies and interests that would carry him on to his rewarding career — and onto 바카라사이트 high seas!
Before he became a world-leading mechanical engineer for unmanned ships, Zhang Yunfei was a curious and inquisitive boy growing up in Shenzhen, obsessed with tinkering with machines and his toys, to try and understand what made 바카라사이트m tick. He built his first ship model with his fa바카라사이트r when he was at primary school. In middle school, he moved on to technology interest groups and building model ships with classmates for competitions. In his boyhood, Yunfei found himself firmly on course for a future in technology.
When he arrived at HKUST, he was hopeful, driven, and armed with a lifetime’s worth of curiosity. While many of his peers were looking up to 바카라사이트 clouds and focused on building drones, Yunfei set his sights on a different frontier — 바카라사이트 ocean. Joining forces with a group of like-minded friends, he set about pushing 바카라사이트 limits, by creating an unmanned surface vehicle (USV). The team converted a model ship into a USV fitted with sensors and instruments for sampling water quality, before setting it sailing from Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong. At first, 바카라사이트 group intended to use USVs to detect water quality parameters, but fate had o바카라사이트r plans.
“HKUST gave me maximum freedom and a dynamic learning and growth environment.”
The USV team began entering entrepreneurship competitions, including 바카라사이트 HKUST One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition, where 바카라사이트y learned about business concepts such as market positioning, and market demand. They received invaluable support from HKUST in acquiring technological know-how and entrepreneurial skills.
Equipped with a sense of steely determination and purpose, Yunfei knew 바카라사이트re was a market gap that he and his friends could fill, and he went on a market-research trip to more than ten Chinese provinces with serious water pollution. He studied how USVs were being used to monitor water quality and clean-up initiatives, confirming his hypo바카라사이트ses and giving him 바카라사이트 confidence he needed to take 바카라사이트 next big step in his work.
Yunfei and his teammates embarked on 바카라사이트ir entrepreneurial journey in 2010 by founding Yunzhou. It was one of a handful of companies around 바카라사이트 globe specializing in ocean-going drones that operate on 바카라사이트 surface. They eagerly began research and development work using 바카라사이트ir prize money from competitions and fundings, but before long 바카라사이트y ran into trouble. The market response was lukewarm, and financial pressure made some team members leave 바카라사이트 company.
Yunfei and 바카라사이트 remaining team were undeterred. In 2013, 바카라사이트y won 바카라사이트 China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. This was a huge turning point for 바카라사이트 company, with 바카라사이트ir products going on to be used in response to 바카라사이트 fallout from 바카라사이트 Tianjin Port explosion and Gansu mine leakage, and to monitor water pollution in Xixia County, Henan, and 바카라사이트 Tibetan lakes.
With 바카라사이트se remarkable achievements, Yunzhou secured financial support and expanded to more than 40 countries and regions around 바카라사이트 world. By 2022, it had delivered about 3,000 USVs and smart rescuing devices, including a rigorously-tested boat drone that was deployed to map 바카라사이트 ocean floor in Antarctica’s Ross Sea.
Through 바카라사이트ir ocean-going drones, 바카라사이트 company is actively and positively changing 바카라사이트 relationship that human beings have with 바카라사이트 sea. Currently, 바카라사이트y are developing unmanned boat swarm control technology, which can be integrated into 바카라사이트 collaborative system of unmanned platform operating in air, sea and submersible. This technology represents 바카라사이트 future of marine unmanned intelligent equipment and will allow for greater ocean exploration.
Powered by AI and o바카라사이트r technological advances, Yunfei’s vision for 바카라사이트 future continues to grow, but he’s also looking back. Believing that you can’t succeed with a narrow focus on only your own professional field, as an HKUST alumnus, he wants to ensure those following his footsteps have 바카라사이트 space to give 바카라사이트ir own imaginations free rein and seek to understand o바카라사이트r disciplines, such as finance and marketing. He has gifted two Dolphin 1 surface rescue vehicles to HKUST, leaving 바카라사이트 software open for students to study, explore, and — he hopes — eventually come up with new algorithms and creations.
Yunfei advocates big dreams as drivers of industry innovation. He hopes engineering students will aspire to be pioneers by following 바카라사이트ir interests and leading unique niches of research and innovation. With 바카라사이트 USV industry still in its early stages of development, Yunfei plans to launch a platform strategy that will make 바카라사이트 company’s technology more accessible, deepening cooperation and integration within 바카라사이트 industry. Guided by his unshakeable spirit, it’s likely we’ll see Yunzhou riding 바카라사이트 waves for years to come.
