Photo by Teemu Virtanen · CC BY-SA 3.0
Technical DPV
Technical DPV (officially 'DPV Overhead Diver' in Part 2 standards) teaches trained cave or mine divers to safely operate Diver Propulsion Vehicles in overhead environments. This course covers DPV components, maintenance, proper rigging, and dive planning that incorporates extended penetration and complex gas management with DPV support. Graduates can conduct DPV-assisted technical dives in caves and mines with proper double-turn-around procedures and emergency protocols.
Centres that teach this course
9 dive centres in the directory publish a price for this exact certification, checked Sep 2026. Each centre's own wording is shown beneath its name. Ranges cover whole-course prices only — where a centre charges per day or per dive, its rate is listed separately below, since a daily figure is not comparable with a course total.
- €230total
- €700total
- €275total
- €250total
- €295total
- IDR 7,300,000total
- IDR 8,000,000total
- IDR 6,000,000total
- ₱33,250total
Same training under a different agency
8 centres
A separate set of centres, teaching Technical DPV (open water) under a different agency. These are not the same certification — the standards and the card differ — but they cover the same depth and scope, which is why centres price them alike. Every row here names whose rating it is, and none of them is counted above.
- $956total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- $275per day
- $295per day
- THB 8,900total
- THB 8,900total
- THB 8,900total
- IDR 7,300,000total
- IDR 7,300,000total
- ₱23,150total
Same tier, agency not stated
5 centres
These centres publish a price for Technical DPV (open water), but their own wording does not say which agency's certification it buys — many teach several and name the card only once you enquire, and some price one course for either agency. The figure is comparable; the certification is not identified, so we do not guess at one.
- $600total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- Protec MexicoMexicoAdvanced DPV1 student$470/day→ $1,880 for the 4-day minimum2+ students$420/day→ $1,680 for the 4-day minimum each$470per day
- IDR 7,300,000total
- ₱23,150total
- €280total
These prices are not like-for-like. Two centres can charge very differently for the same certification because they include different things. One price may cover twinsets, stages, deco gas and cylinder rental for every training dive, a dedicated classroom for the theory, boat or transport to the site, and the agency's registration and materials; another may be tuition only, with all of that charged separately — or the other way round, with a centre bundling in extras the first leaves out. Class size, whether the course is one-to-one, and how many days are allowed for it move the figure too. Check what each centre's price includes before comparing them, and confirm with the centre before booking.
Consumables are usually extra. Sorb, helium, O₂ and other fills, park and cenote fees, certification fees and rental are commonly charged on top.
Packages combining several certifications, upgrades from an existing one, and open-ended day rates are excluded — none of them is the standalone price of this course, and including them would move the figures away from what a new student can actually book.
Prerequisites
Minimum age 18. Certified TDI Full Cave Diver, TDI Mine Diver Level II, or equivalent. Minimum 25 non-training full cave or mine dives.
Standards
What a diver must demonstrate to pass this course — not always published by the certifying agency.
Students complete 3 overhead DPV dives (90+ minutes accumulated bottom time), demonstrating proficiency with: DPV pre-dive checks and maintenance, buoyancy and trim control while scootering, proper towing procedures and team coordination, emergency procedures (e.g., disabled DPV management), gas management on DPV dives, and safe ascent protocols.
Instructors Teaching This Course
Philippines
Indonesia
Malta
United States
Mexico
Egypt
Dive Centres Offering This Course
Mexico
Philippines
Indonesia
Malta
United States
Egypt
We're still building out the directory country by country, so this list isn't every instructor or dive centre teaching it in the world — more locations are coming soon.
Common questions about TDI Technical DPV
How much does TDI Technical DPV cost?
Published prices for TDI Technical DPV range across 9 centres in the TecDiveTools directory — roughly US$250 to US$800 at current exchange rates. In each centre's own currency: €230–€700 (5 centres), IDR 6,000,000–8,000,000 (3 centres) and ₱33,250 (1 centre). Prices differ mainly in what they include, so compare the inclusions before comparing the numbers. Prices were last checked in September 2026.
How long does TDI Technical DPV take?
Between 1 and 4 days, based on the durations 5 centres publish for it. The time depends on the centre's schedule, weather, and how quickly the required skills are demonstrated — agencies set a minimum number of dives, not a fixed number of days.
What are the prerequisites for TDI Technical DPV?
TDI's standards require: Minimum age 18. Certified TDI Full Cave Diver, TDI Mine Diver Level II, or equivalent. Minimum 25 non-training full cave or mine dives.
What is the minimum age for TDI Technical DPV?
TDI's standards state: Minimum age 18.
What does TDI Technical DPV training involve?
According to TDI's published standards: Students complete 3 overhead DPV dives (90+ minutes accumulated bottom time), demonstrating proficiency with: DPV pre-dive checks and maintenance, buoyancy and trim control while scootering, proper towing procedures and team coordination, emergency procedures (e.g., disabled DPV management), gas management on DPV dives, and safe ascent protocols.
What is the equivalent of TDI Technical DPV in other agencies?
At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: PADI TecRec DPV, RAID DPV and IANTD Tek DPV Diver. They cover comparable training, but each agency sets its own standards, depth limits and certification card, so they are comparable rather than interchangeable — check which one your next course accepts.
Where can I take TDI Technical DPV?
80 dive centres and 126 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach TDI Technical DPV across 7 countries, most in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malta and the United States. Each is listed further up this page.
Does the price of TDI Technical DPV include gas and equipment?
Not always — it varies by centre. Certification fees, equipment rental and boat or site fees are commonly charged on top of the course price. Each centre's price list on TecDiveTools shows what it notes as included.