Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean when you say pressure hull/cabin? The term "pressure hull" is an industry term that actually means the opposite of what it implies.  A pressure hull is a cabin that protects the crew from changes in pressure.  In other words, it is better described as a pressure boundary cabin wherein, once you close the hatch, the atmospheric pressure captured at that time is maintained regardless of the changes in depth.

What are we seeing pictures of?  You are seeing pictures of our proof of concept R&D vessel.  It was built to prove the effectiveness of the concept (speedboat/submarine hybrid). It is not certified, meaning it was not built to DNV-GL or ABS standards. Its primary purpose was simply to demonstrate that a speedboat and submarine hybrid would function, with improved safety, as predicted. To keep costs down this platform was built using steel and was not equipped with a long life cycle or certification in mind.  

How does something shaped like that withstand the pressure at depth?  The only items that withstands pressure at depth is the cylindrical cabin and battery tubes.  The surface hull is completely flooded during a dive and therefore experiences no pressure differential.   

How deep has the Hyper-Sub gone? We installed a cabin rated for 100 feet so we kept our depth below 40 feet. However, if we had installed a cabin rated for 1,000 feet, which is available, it could dive to 500 feet with a safety factor of 1. The only limitation to depth is the cabin installed. The cabin seen in our photos incorporated variable geometry for promotional purposes.  

Why so many flat surfaces?  Isn’t that a lot of drag? Yes, we intentionally incorporated many flat surfaces for promotional reasons.  This would not be the case for industrial or government versions.  

Is there more than one Hyper-Sub FBS?  No. Over the course of testing, we changed the bow and color scheme.