Page 43: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2016)

Dragon: A New Class of Personal Subs atest personal submarine from water “? ying” and “hovering” capabili- ro? t. The Dragon can even be operated

DeepFlight is a $1.5 million ties, allowing pilots to cruise alongside from shore via a beach or boat ramp,

Lmodel that’s easier for users to sea life or stop and hover over objects similar to a small boat.

operate and maneuver, with the capabil- such as shipwrecks and canyons. Quad ity to ? y and hover underwater brushless DC thrusters and a lithium-

Dragon Speci? cations

Founded by renowned ocean engineer iron-phosphate battery pack enable qui-

Length: ............................5 m (16ft 5in)

Graham Hawkes, submersible manufac- et operation for up to six hours between

Width: .............................1.9 m (6ft 3in) turer DeepFlight has been in the busi- charges, and a 40V system voltage and

Height: ............................1.1 m (3ft 7in) ness of producing top-of-the-line per- low electric signature ensure the Dragon

Weight: ..................1,800 kg (4000 lbs) sonal underwater craft since 1996, over can be piloted safely near swimmers and

Operating Depth: ..........120 m (400 ft) the years developing a number of recre- marine animals, the manufacturer said.

Payload: ......................250 kg (550 lbs) ational vehicles to push the boundaries At 1,800 kg and ? ve meters in length,

Cruising Speed: .........................4 knots of undersea adventure and exploration. the Dragon is more compact than its

Operating Depth: ........................120 m

The company recently debuted its predecessors, enabling the sub to be

Crew: ....................................................2 sixth generation personal sub, the launched, recovered and stored on

Dragon, a more compact vehicle target- yachts like a tender, with little or no ret- ing a wider range of users via safer and easier operation. First introduced at the

Monaco Yacht Show in 2014, and then launched at the same show in 2015, the two-person Dragon only requires mini- mal instruction before pilots can take the helm, cruise at speeds up to four knots and dive down to depths of 120 meters.

Helping to make this a safe reality,

DeepFlight designed a system called

DeepFlight Dive Manager, which auto- matically monitors and adjusts oxygen ? ow, battery life, depth and altitude control. And like all DeepFlight subma- rines, the Dragon is positively buoyant, meaning it ? oats itself to the surface should an emergency occur.

Also unique to the Dragon, the sub is

DeepFlight’s ? rst craft to offer under-

Ph: (714) 546-3478 | www.secoseals.com | [email protected] www.marinetechnologynews.com

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