What Is an Underwater Scooter?

Divers use underwater scooters to increase their diving range.

Diving equipment refers to equipment and gear designed to make scuba diving efficient, safe and more convenient. Underwater scooters are used in deep sea diving applications.

Range

An underwater scooter, also referred to as a diver propulsion vehicle (DPV), is used by divers to increase diving range, or the depth at which they may descend into a major body of water, such as a sea or ocean. Underwater scooters enable divers to carry additional breathing gas and consume a greater rate of breathing due to less exertion.

Design

Underwater scooters contain an electric motor used to drive the propeller, or a fan device that transmits power by converting the energy produced by the fan's rotation into a reaction force, called thrust. The propeller is separated from the diver by a protective cage. Underwater scooters are designed to retain buoyancy when not powered, and include a small pair of handles located at the front end, enabling a diver to hold on while being propelled.

Disadvantages

Underwater scooters lack buoyancy control, which decreases diver safety. Underwater scooters also can cause barotrauma if a diver dives or ascends too quickly. Barotrauma refers to damage to body tissue resulting from pressure changes between air within or beside a human body and the fluid surrounding the body.

References

• Best-scuba-diving-tips: Glossary of Scuba Diving Terms: DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle)
• "Diver Propulsion Vehicle"; Frederic P. Miller, Agnes F. Vandome and John McBrewster; 2010

Resources

• "Oceans: Surviving in the Deep Sea"; Michael Sandler; 2005