The Human-Powered Submarine
Competition

Two international competitions are held biannually during the summers in which the HPS Team of Virginia Tech has had great success.  In 2000, with the submarine Phantom 3, the team won top awards in 5 of the 8 categories, including fastest one-person propeller-driven submarine and the Overall Engineering Award.  In 2001, Phantom 3 received the 3rd place award for speed and won the prize for Overall Performance as well as the Department of Defense Engineering Award.  The team also set the world speed record for a woman in a single-person propeller-driven submarine.  In 2002, Phantom 4 won the Overall Engineering Award as well as first place awards in the Best Submarine Design and Innovation categories.  In 2003, a new design, named Specter, won two world speed records for the fastest alternatively propelled submarine for both male and female pilots.  In 2004, Specter broke its own records, again attaining world speed records for the fastest alternatively propelled submarine for both male and female pilots and won 1st place for Innovation, 1st place for Best Operating, 2nd place for Best Submarine Design, and 2nd place for Safety.  In 2005, a new submarine, Phantom 5, won 1st place in Innovation primarily for its integration of an autonomously controlled electro-pneumatic, vectored-thrust, variable pitch control system.

 


Honors Awarded to
The Human-Powered Submarine
Team of Virginia Tech

2004 - Specter

World speed record for a male pilot in an alternatively propelled submarine

World speed record for a female pilot in an alternatively propelled submarine

1st place Awards

Innovation
Best Operation

2nd Place Awards

 Best Submarine Design

 

2003 - Phantom 4 and Specter

World speed record for a male pilot in an alternatively propelled submarine

World speed record for a female pilot in an alternatively propelled submarine

 

2002 - Phantom 4 (Escondido, California)

Grand Prize - Overall Engineering Award

First Place Awards

Best Design
Innovation

Second Place Awards

Best Presentation
Construction
Best Operating Team
Safety

Third Place Awards

Speed (1-person propellor driven at 3.758 knots)

 

2001 - Phantom 3 (Carderock, Maryland )

Grand Prize - Overall Engineering Award

Department of Defense Engineering Award

 

2000 - Phantom 3 (Escondido, California)

Grand Prize - Overall Engineering Award

First Place Awards

Most Safety Conscious
Best Presentation
Fastest One-Person Propellor Driven Sub
Best Manufactured Sub

Second Place Awards

Best Submarine Design
Most Innovative Submarine
Best Operating Team