Safety Features and Innovations

All systems and designs will be certified to International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) for construction of manned submersibles. This means that every detail of its design and manufacture will be certified according to very stringent requirements.  Meeting this standard alone dictates that each FBS built is incredibly safe and posses standard safety features (see below). The safety features of an FBS, however, goes well beyond this standard given its passive safety characteristics and other advantages gained through its use of over 30,000 lbs. of lift, referred to as hyper-ballasting.

Unique Safety Characteristics as a Surface Vessel:

  • The FBS cabin, being designed to withstanding pressures at 500 feet (standard) when used during a dive, is incredibly robust. This, of course, provides an abnormally high level of protection to the crew in even the most extreme weather conditions.

  • Technically, the FBS has “double hull” redundancy, meaning that, should the surface hull be breached, there are over eight separate sealed compartments, used for ballasting, to keep it afloat.

  • In the event the FBS were to capsize due to extreme conditions, it has the ability to right itself.

Unique Safety Characteristics as a Submarine:

  • Access to Surface Craft Features: Unlike other minisubs that are minimally buoyant on the surface (and therefore susceptible to being swamped from wave action in bad weather), the FBS can resume a normal surface craft profile (safety and functionality) at anytime. It therefore does not need to be recovered (lifted onto a larger vessel) in order for its occupants to be safe in bad weather.

  • Seal Failure: Though similar to the above, the FBS can return its cabin to a position ABOVE the waterline, terminating water ingress, in the event of a through-hull penetration or seal failure. In fact, the FBS is the only submarine in the world that can surface, even in the event the cabin is totally flooded.

  • Dead System Recovery: The FBS can return to the surface, in a controlled manner, even in the event of total systems failure. This feature is in a addition to the emergency drop weight required by class societies.

  • Rapid Ascent: 30,000 lbs. of lift ensures a very rapid, but safe ascent capability in an emergency.

  • Entanglement: The FBS can engage over 30,000 lbs. (or 15-tons) of lift to free itself

Standard Safety Features:

  • Three independent methods of surfacing: Normal operating system surfacing, emergency drop tray surfacing (3,000 lbs/1361 kg), and Controlled Dead Systems Submerged Recoverability (boat can surface with all primary air, electrical and hydraulic systems shut down in a controlled fashion)

  • Passive safety characteristics such as hyper-ballast compartmentalization (8 separate compartments) retaining over 30,000 lbs (1,361 kg) of total reserve submerged lift for rapid accents in the event of the most severe emergencies

  • Sufficient reserve air to blow the main ballast tanks 2 times @ 500’ (152 m) depth using standard air loads

  • Submerged EPIRB and VHF antennae deployment location and communications capability

  • Atmospheric monitoring system Various (H2, O2 & CO2), Life support (CO2) Maintained at less than 0.5 %, Life support (O2) Maintained between 19-22 %

  • Emergency life-support: 48 hours per passenger

  • Emergency re-breathers: (1) per crew-member

  • Life jackets: (1) per passenger

  • Emergency drinking water, lifeboat rations, waste & CO2 removal equipment

  • Dual frequency underwater telephone

  • Robustness of cabin (with integral integrity to withstand pressures at depth) protect crew from wave action during surface operations in rough seas

  • Very low center of gravity for surface craft stability in rough seas

  • Fire extinguishing systems: Engine compartment / Halon auto dump

  • Surface navigation lights (x 6) 12 Volts/25 Watts each 

To discuss your requirements further: Email Us