Sponsored By

Pebble's Final Design

In 2009 a small team at Cambridge University Engineering Department designed, built and deployed a deep-sea photographic vessel. The vessel, called “Pebble”, cost £1800 to build, making it tens of tens less expensive than commercially available systems. It is hoped that subsequent years to engineering undergraduates will develop and improve the design, to make deep-sea photography more affordable than ever before.

Project Pebble was founded in 2008 by Ben Sheppard, a mechanical engineering student at Cambridge University. By March 2009 Ben and fellow student Robert Howshall had developed Pebble from a rough idea into a fully functional vessel. From March to May 2009 Pebble was put through a rigorous series of pool and pressure chamber tests. After successful completing the testing phase, Pebble was deployed for the first time on 21st May; 100 miles north-west of the Isle of Lewis.

Unfortunately, Pebble was accidentally picked up by a passing fishing vessel during deployment, and could not be recovered. Despite this loss, the project was a success. The vessel was proven to be fit for purpose during trials, and the low-cost technology developed during the project has potential applications in the surveying, oil, gas and photography industries.

Project Pebble was sponsored by BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, which is based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The company is currently building the Astute class of nuclear powered attack submarines, with the first of those, HMS Astute, due to leave Barrow over the summer. The second, third and fourth boats in the planned seven-strong class – Ambush, Artful, and Audacious – are also in various stages of construction in Barrow.

 

Deployment Location