DeepFlight Merlin

DeepFlight Merlin is a personal submersible by Hawkes Ocean Technologies, part of the DeepFlight line of submersibles. The positively buoyant "aero submarine" was designed by Graham Hawkes. The Merlin was the first winged open-cockpit submarine (a wet sub) available on the market, and first three-man submarine in the "aero-submarine" class, representing a major advance in scuba diving technology.

It travels up to 5 nm/hr, has an operating time of one hour, and an open cockpit, requiring the use of scuba gear by occupants, and giving them 360-degree views of the space around them. The sub carries three, two passengers and one pilot. The occupants have "windshields" to protect them from the water stream. It is capable of hydrobatic maneuvers and 360-degree turns. It weighs 750 kg, is 4.6m long, 3.0m wide, 1.2m tall, and runs off battery power. It is also available as a two- or one-seater. The design work on the sub started in July 2009.

The first example of the Merlin, the Necker Nymph was sold to Richard Branson's Virgin Hotel Group. This initial example cost US$670,000.