The startup presents a prototype of a floating survival pod designed to withstand tsunamis and major floods

A French startup has unveiled a prototype survival device it says could save people from tsunamis and flash floods.

The prototype was unveiled at a technology conference in Paris earlier this month. The company, Lifepods, says it believes the device will help save lives minutes before a disaster, when evacuation is no longer a safe option.

LifePods CEO Cedric Choffat said the moving images of the effects of the world’s deadliest tsunamis, such as Indian Ocean 2004 and on the coast of Japan in 2011it prompted him to consider how a purpose-built survival capsule might work. Even though better forecasting and preparedness have led to fewer deaths from tsunamis and floods over time, extreme weather events such as History of central Texas flooding in 2025 they are still causing damage. So how could he help save a life?

“That question was the beginning of LifePods,” Choffat told CBS News.

That led to the creation of the W-01. The device is a floating castle, with enough space for four adults and four children to fit inside, although it is sturdy. The capsule is equipped with a harness and can broadcast an emergency distress signal until rescuers arrive. There is space under the seats for essential items such as food, water and medicine. A GPS tracker can be installed to ensure rescuers can locate the pod.

There is no space inside the capsule to do much but sit and wait. The device is intended for short-term use, as a last-ditch shelter. Unlike traditional bunkers, which stay in place, Choffat described the floating capsule as “quickly transported,” including air, and easy to scale in high-risk areas.

The IW-01 relies on what Choffat refers to as a passive hydrodynamic design, where the movement of the capsule and its position move it through the water rather than mechanical engines or steering systems. The device is made of a marine-grade aluminum shell separated by a foam core. Its makers say that this creates a strong structure that distributes the force of a possible impact throughout the capsule rather than concentrating it in one place, protecting residents from large floating debris such as cars, trees and construction materials, which is one of the biggest dangers during floods.

However, the W-01 has yet to be tested in real life, which LifePods describes as a process that will start with harbor tests to ensure buoyancy under various payloads, move on to sea drag tests to test how the capsule can cope with waves, and progress to more extreme conditions. The company has released an amazing AI-powered video that shows how the product can work.

The product is expected to go on sale next year, LifePods said. It will have a price tag of $45,000 per pod. Choffat said that government agencies, public security organizations, and private security companies have shown interest in the phone, suggesting that the target customer is an institution and not an individual. In the US, negotiations are “still in the early stages,” he said.

“We believe that the market has great potential due to the increase in hurricanes, floods and coastal storms that hit many states every year,” said Choffat.

LifePods isn’t entering a flooded market, but it has a competitor – Seattle-based Survival Capsule LLC. Their patented circular pod is already on sale, and at a very low price, it costs $13,500, or less than a third of the expected price of the W-01.

LifePods also designs ground-based survival pods, including one that can withstand earthquakes and building collapses, and another to protect against armed attacks and explosions.