TRITON 4000/2 ABYSSAL Explorer
The world’s deepest diving acrylic sub
The TRITON 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer is a high-performance, flexible platform designed specifically for professional applications. Its 4,000 meter depth-rating makes it the perfect submersible for repeated trips to the deep ocean.
With an exceptionally compact footprint, the Gull Wing arrangement allows the vehicle to be stored and maintained from a small garage.
While diving, the protected “Gull Wing” design provides an unrivalled versatility of operation. With the wings retracted, the submersible is streamlined for ascent and descent, and capable of maneuvering in and around incredibly tight spaces. The low placement of the lighting and cameras is ideal for macro work, scientific observation or close filming.
With the wings partially deployed, the TRITON Abyssal Explorer’s Silent Glide feature enables to the submersible to track objects, maintain a heading and glide towards points of interest without engaging its eight, direct-drive thrusters.
Fully deployed, the Gull Wings raise the vehicle’s propulsion up and away from the seabed, ensuring that delicate species or free-floating objects remain undisturbed. Cameras, placed at the wing tips, provide a perfect external vantage point from which to film the submersible and its occupants; perfect for presenter-led productions.
As a platform, the TRITON Abyssal Explorer’s capabilities are simply unmatched.
“THE TRITON IS SO MANEUVERABLE. FOR BLUE PLANET II WE FILMED CRABS THE SIZE OF YOUR THUMBNAIL, IN MACRO! IT’S AMAZING”
Buck Taylor, Submersible Pilot, OceanX
The World’s Deepest Diving Acrylic Sub
The TRITON 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer is the only acrylic-hulled submersible commercially certified for dives in excess of 13,000 ft.
Like all other Tritons, it takes advantage of our exclusive manufacturing process to produce the world’s only completely colourless, optically perfect hulls.
Featuring zero-distortion, Triton hulls are the preferred choice of high-end filmmakers.
Direct Dive
Our work on Blue Planet II and the Five Deeps Expedition has taught us that there are times when it is desirable for a submersible to be launched and be subsurface as quickly as possible. It may be to catch a short window in the weather or, for example, in response to a passing pod of Orca. For these occasions, we’ve created Direct Dive – allowing you to launch the submersible ‘heavy’ and begin the dive the second it is released.
The TRITON 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer features large vents, a streamlined launch profile and simplified launch procedures, allowing you to spend the bare minimum amount of time on the surface before diving and getting on with your work.
Once subsurface, the submersible’s hydrodynamic shape – with wings folded – speeds the descent to 13,000 ft. The journey takes less than two hours – significantly faster than previously possible.
Silent Glide
During ascent and descent, Silent Glide can be enabled, which allows gentle, sweeping turns perfect for cinematic camera work or for following, but not disturbing, invertebrates on the move. Without using thrusters, the Abyssal Explorer can maintain a fixed heading, track an object, or even glide towards a target during descent.
The gull wings, coupled with the ultra-fine grain control which debuted on our flagship TRITON 3300/3 MKII, are also perfect for precise maneuvering, allowing multiple subs to rendezvous in close-proximity, or for the close inspection subsea structures with ultimate confidence.
Sky Light
Filmmakers, scientists and surveyors will appreciate the TRITON 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer’s pro-level inbuilt lighting rig which brings light where there has only ever been darkness.
Spread across the giant six-meter wing span, powerful LED’s flood-light the scene without generating the backscatter effect sometimes generated by lights placed close to the hull. Cameras and light panels placed on opposing wingtips provides a pleasing side-lit visual.
The signature retractable wings provide the stability and control required for the close inspection of subsea structures and environmental features, as well as providing wide-field flood-illumination for dramatically increased visibility.
Flexible Architecture
The Electrical and Mechanical systems on the TRITON 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer have been specifically designed for flexibility and the integration of mission-specific equipment.
Ample available penetrations, flexible electronics bays, gas and hydraulic connections, and multiple hard-mounting points allow up to 500 kg of your equipment to be integrated with, and controlled from within, the submersible.
The sub’s generous payload and flexible electronics set-up allows the addition of subsea tooling, controllable external cameras or specialist sampling equipment.
Ease of Maintenance
Triton submersibles enjoy industry leading levels of reliability and dependability, so professionals can spend even more time on task.
Building on Triton’s enviable reputation for in-water time, the TRITON 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer has been designed to be one of the easiest submersibles to maintain in-the-field.
Planned and ad-hoc maintenance can be carried out via ready access to the submersible’s large, elegantly arranged, maintenance bay, using standard tooling and marine engineering know-how.
Technical Specification
General
| Depth | 13,123 ft / 4,000 m |
| Payload | 1,102 lb / 500 kg |
| Crew | Pilot + 1 Pax |
| Speed | 3 kn |
| Endurance | 12+ hours |
| Variable Ballast | 250 l | Hatch Inner ⌀ | 19.7 in / 500 mm |
Size & Weight
| Length | 14.6 ft / 4.45 m |
| Width | 9 ft / 2.75 m |
| Width Wings Out | 19.685 ft / 6 m |
| Height | 9.8 ft / 3 m |
| Weight | 26,455 lb / 12,000 kg |
| Pressure Hull Inner ⌀ | 59.1 in / 1,500 mm |
| Pressure Hull Volume | 1,770 l |
Systems
| 24V Supply | Dual supply + Emergency |
| Main Battery | 40 kWh |
| Main Thrusters | 4 x 5.5 kW Direct Drive |
| Auxiliary Thrusters | 4 x 5.5 kW Direct Drive |
| Control | Joystick, Touchscreen & Manual Override |
| External Lights | 6+ x 20,000 lumen LED |
| Life Support | Oxygen + CO2 Scrubber |
