It sounds like something from an old Gerry Anderson show: the Deep Flight Super Falcon, an electrically-powered underwater craft designed to take explorers deep into the ocean while inside something that looks more suited to outer space than underwater.

However, it's a very real private craft that's available to anyone with $1.7 million to spare, Live Science reports. How does it differ from other similar crafts, and what does questions it pose to those considering purchasing the necessary diving insurance?

For starters, that plane-like appearance is no accident: its wings and sleek body are meant to take advantage of the same design that keeps aircraft bouyant, only porting that setup into an underwater setting. In fact, the marketing campaign for the company that produces it, Hawkes Ocean Technologies, describes traveling in it in a promotional brochure as "flying through the ocean."

But of course, all of this flash and attempted innovation raises serious questions about functionality and safety. Hawkes' solution to these concerns is to play up the buoyancy that this craft brings into the equation, according to the official website.

"Unlike all conventional submersibles which use ballast to descend, DeepFlight Super Falcons are always positively buoyant — with auto return to the surface — providing unparalleled safety," the site's disclaimer reads.

It's still a big claim, and until these systems become more widely used, it might not be known for sure how safe these systems really are. Private buyers will still need to reach out to a boat insurance broker that might give you a sense of what needs to be procured for best performance.

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