Schools

Wantagh Students Launch Submarines

The students designed and built their own underwater vehicles.

After working on an engineering design unit, Wantagh Horizons program students at Mandalay Elementary School successfully launched remotely operated vehicles at the Wantagh Park boat launch under the direction of teacher Renee MacDermott and marine scientist Brett Curlew.

Prior to the launch, the students learned about density and buoyancy and then designed, sketched and built their ROVs in teams, using PVC pipe, bilge pipe motors, a central box battery and cameras. They had to precisely calculate the vehicles’ mass through water displacement and then add foam insulation in order to make the vehicles perfectly buoyant.

During the launch, it was important for the ROVs to float close to the bottom of the water, so they could be driven and manipulated with the motors. All of the teams were able to view the rocks, algae and fish living underwater.

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Photos: Wantagh School District

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