According to a January 4 CNN feature story, there are more personal submarines on the market now than there have even been before. CNN cites one such submarine, the Dragon, made by Richmond, Calif.-based company DeepFlight, as an example of how lightweight composite materials are replacing traditional metals in personal submarines.
Underwater vehicles are exposed to extremely harsh environments, and the saltwater atmosphere can cause most metal-made submarines to corrode easily. However, watercraft like the Dragon have managed to address these issues by using composites, which neither rust nor corrode. According to ACMA’s CompositesLab, unique resin formulations offer protection against harsh conditions, such as caustic solutions, acidic environments, alkaline environments, oxidizing chemicals and high temperatures.
The Dragon’s pressure hull is constructed with a proprietary composite material that is specially designed to withstand the pressures of ocean diving.
