The SSI DPV Diving program provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to safely and comfortably dive with a diver propulsion vehicle (DPV).
Note | SSI Referral Divers may enroll in SSI specialty programs and complete all academic and pool/confined water sessions. Open water training dives for all specialties cannot be combined with open water training dives for entry-level programs, and must be conducted after completion of all in-water training for the Open Water Diver program.
- Recreational DPV | A DPV that requires two hands to operate, has a less than 500wh battery capacity, or that does not have a tow cord.
- Technical DPV | A DPV that has a tow cord, a battery capacity greater than 500wh, and can be operated with one hand.
The SSI Professional conducting the training must use the same type—recreational or technical—of DPV as their students.
- During in-water skill evaluations, the students must remain under direct supervision of the SSI Professional so that physical contact can be made at any time.
- Complete at least one (1) pool/confined water session as outlined in the instructor manual for DPV Diving.
- Complete at least two (2) open water training dives as outlined in the instructor manual for DPV Diving.
- The purpose of this session is to assess the general skill level of the student, and to train them in the use of the specialty equipment prior to any open water training.
- Complete at least one (1) pool/confined water session using a technical DPV as outlined in the instructor manual for DPV Diving.
- Complete Open Water Training Dive 2 using a technical DPV as outlined in the instructor manual for DPV Diving.
- Upon completion of all academic and in-water requirements, the SSI Professional may issue the program’s digital certification card.
- The responsible SSI Professional must enter the type of DPV used during training—technical or recreational—and the DPV model into the MySSI System. This information will appear on the diver’s certification card.