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NCKU Students' First Self-made Human-Powered Submarine Ready to Challenge European International Submarine Race in June
The "Seawarrior" team, formed by students of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), participated for the first time in the European International Submarine Races (EISR) in 2022, winning the Best Newcomer Award as the only Asian and Taiwan's first student-made submarine team. Now in 2024, with a new team taking over, the technology has made even more breakthroughs. They are ready to challenge the international submarine race held in the UK at the end of June with their first self-made "Vacuum Pumping Method" human-powered submarine named Pegasus. Currently, the team is painting the hull and conducting underwater tests for the submarine.
The "Seawarrior" team, established by students of NCKU, is guided by Associate Professor Jeng-Horng Chen from the Institute of Ocean Technology, NCKU. Founded in September 2020, the second-generation team took over in October 2022, currently consisting of 15 members. The submarine, Pegasus, crafted by the team, has a length of up to 3.22 meters (excluding the propeller), weighing 91 kilograms (dry weight) and 1141 kilograms (wet weight). The elongated length of the submarine allows for drivers of different heights (160–180 cm). The hull was formed using the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) method, which allows for a more efficient and precise resin distribution compared to traditional hand layup methods. Additionally, the sandwich construction method significantly reduces the weight of the submarine while maintaining structural strength. The team aims to achieve good results in the competition with the upgraded technology.
The European International Submarine Races require not only the construction of the submarine but also the integration of diving skills to adjust buoyancy underwater and maneuver the submarine along the designated route. This international competition combines brainpower design with hands-on practicality, diverging from the traditional focus on academics and allowing participants to physically engage in the competition. To prepare for this, the NCKU Seawarrior team regularly conducts diving training on Xiao Liuqiu Island.
Dan-Xu Wang, a third-year student from the Institute of Ocean Technology and captain of the "Seawarrior" team, stated that the current team is composed of students from different grades and departments. Due to heavy academic loads, coordinating time and resources was the biggest challenge they faced. They utilized their limited time during vacations and spare time between classes to learn vacuum pumping from scratch and experiment with different designs. When encountering practical problems, they sought advice from shipyard craftsmen, professors, and team members to find collective solutions and move forward, ultimately completing the product, showcasing the team's spirit and strength.
Pegasus is currently undergoing hull painting and underwater testing. The team extends special thanks to numerous sponsoring companies for their assistance and support, including Horizon Yachts, Karmin International, Yen Tjing Ling Industrial Development Foundation, Professor Guang-Min Lo from National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Problue International, Aquatic Realm Diving Center, Wild Force Technology, Wrap Bull Design, Hondar Model Technologies, Tong Chi Enterprise, Tanko Enterprise, and DWTEK.
The Europe International Submarine Races, sponsored by the UK's QinetiQ Laboratory, DE&S, and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), have been held biennially since 2012, providing a dream stage for shipbuilding engineering students worldwide. Student teams design, manufacture, and operate submarines throughout the competition, completing tasks such as straight-line acceleration, 25-meter radius turns, S-shaped obstacle avoidance, and are evaluated based on timing and novelty of submarine design.
The "Seawarrior" team, established by students of NCKU, is guided by Associate Professor Jeng-Horng Chen from the Institute of Ocean Technology, NCKU. Founded in September 2020, the second-generation team took over in October 2022, currently consisting of 15 members. The submarine, Pegasus, crafted by the team, has a length of up to 3.22 meters (excluding the propeller), weighing 91 kilograms (dry weight) and 1141 kilograms (wet weight). The elongated length of the submarine allows for drivers of different heights (160–180 cm). The hull was formed using the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) method, which allows for a more efficient and precise resin distribution compared to traditional hand layup methods. Additionally, the sandwich construction method significantly reduces the weight of the submarine while maintaining structural strength. The team aims to achieve good results in the competition with the upgraded technology.
The European International Submarine Races require not only the construction of the submarine but also the integration of diving skills to adjust buoyancy underwater and maneuver the submarine along the designated route. This international competition combines brainpower design with hands-on practicality, diverging from the traditional focus on academics and allowing participants to physically engage in the competition. To prepare for this, the NCKU Seawarrior team regularly conducts diving training on Xiao Liuqiu Island.
Dan-Xu Wang, a third-year student from the Institute of Ocean Technology and captain of the "Seawarrior" team, stated that the current team is composed of students from different grades and departments. Due to heavy academic loads, coordinating time and resources was the biggest challenge they faced. They utilized their limited time during vacations and spare time between classes to learn vacuum pumping from scratch and experiment with different designs. When encountering practical problems, they sought advice from shipyard craftsmen, professors, and team members to find collective solutions and move forward, ultimately completing the product, showcasing the team's spirit and strength.
Pegasus is currently undergoing hull painting and underwater testing. The team extends special thanks to numerous sponsoring companies for their assistance and support, including Horizon Yachts, Karmin International, Yen Tjing Ling Industrial Development Foundation, Professor Guang-Min Lo from National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Problue International, Aquatic Realm Diving Center, Wild Force Technology, Wrap Bull Design, Hondar Model Technologies, Tong Chi Enterprise, Tanko Enterprise, and DWTEK.
The Europe International Submarine Races, sponsored by the UK's QinetiQ Laboratory, DE&S, and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), have been held biennially since 2012, providing a dream stage for shipbuilding engineering students worldwide. Student teams design, manufacture, and operate submarines throughout the competition, completing tasks such as straight-line acceleration, 25-meter radius turns, S-shaped obstacle avoidance, and are evaluated based on timing and novelty of submarine design.
The NCKU Human-Powered Submarine "Seawarrior" team is composed of students from various different departments.
Team members utilize their limited time during summer and winter breaks, as well as spare time between semesters, to learn the vacuum pumping method for constructing the human-powered submarine.
The team regularly goes to Xiao Liuqiu for diving training.
