Drones are invading the market and become a must have for videographer. I am pretty sure you already spoted one flying above your head during your travels. These new objects, condensed technology have something to seduce: driving a drone is both very fun and in addition it allows us to make beautiful videos! The playground of drones continues to grow and is now turning to the exploration of the seabed. New submarine ROVs or UAVs (call it as you wish) are coming out of factories every month. Time as come to wonder, what are the best underwater drones? To find out, keep reading this complete guide to buy the right underwater ROV!
Why are underwater drones so fashionable?
Whether in the sky, flying like a bird or underwater swimming like a fish, this technology partly meets our insatiable curiosity. National Ocean Service scientists estimate that more than 95% of the world’s oceans are still unexplored. So is it not surprising that underwater drones attract so much the general public? We are not saying that you will discover hidden tresure, capture image from giant calamari or discover new species, but just having a look at the underwater realm is a wonder on its own. Last point but not least, these drones yesterday so expensive are now within the reach of our wallet.
What should I know before buying an underwater drone?
The price : You probably remember the first airborne drones, they were consider as toys for children. But in a short time, we have seen that this technology has matured to the point where enthusiasts can now fly planes that require license. For a few hundred dollars, you can get a high-performance flying drone, spare batteries and spare propellers.
Wire or wireless : At the moment some of the underwater drones still require physical attachments (a wire) and are not autonomous. The radio signals do not move well in the water. In addition, the cleanliness of the camera lens and sensor apertures is another aspect to consider. At the moment difficult to say, but it seems that wireless underwater drones will give us more possibility of use.
Autonomy : Existing models propose different length for their battery, longer it last better it is!
Customer service : Most of the brand do not communicate about it, but before buying those expensive product you must be sure that a customer service will take care of your product if something happen!
Here our TOP 8 of underwater drones 2019
FIFISH
The world’s first 4K omni-directional underwater drone
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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FIFISH A GOOD PRODUCT? | + 6 thrusters for omni-directional maneuverability (6 degrees of freedom) + Full power motion stablization system + 4K UHD – 166° FOV wide-angle camera and display + 4000-lumen integrated LED headlights + Full power motion stablization system + Auto color-enhancing algorithms with manual adjustment options + Immersive VR head tracking mode |
The FIFISH V6 by QYSEA is the world’s first omni-directional consumer underwater drone. Utilizing its patented six-thruster engine, the V6 is able to manouver in six degrees-of-freedom. From 90° tilts to 360° spins, FIFISH V6 has the capability for all possible angles of movement.. From 90° tilts to 360° spins, FIFISH V6 has the capability for all possible angles of movement. The drone’s revamped camera system is optimized for underwater filming, delivering 4K UHD footage in a 166° wide-angle lens, complemented by 4,000-lumen LED headlights, auto color-enhancing algorithms and HDMI live streaming. Furthermore, FIFSH V6’s VR head-tracking mode offers a deeply immersive experience for its users, providing full control of vision and movement with a simple shift of the head.
Price : 1,599$
NAVATICS MITO
The most stable 4k underwater drone
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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WHY BUY? | + High performance stabilizer + Able to adjust pitch angle to +/- 45 degrees and keep depth and orientation while moving + Stream live up to 500 meters away + Automatic color corrector |
MITO is a small underwater drone developed by the company Navatics in Hong Kong. Capable of shooting in 4K and taking high resolution photos up to 12MP, it stands out above all by a high performance stabilization that allows it to remain perfectly immobile in the current thanks to its four independent thrusters. It’s the first consumer ROV that can tilt up and down at 45 degrees while moving forward and backward. This underwater drone is piloted via a wireless remote control connected via Radio Frequency. It has a swappable battery, allowing consumers unlimited diving time. The wireless remote control has a maximum range of 500m and a smartphone attachment handle, allowing the user total control via his or her associated iOS or Android mobile application. The application also includes built-in tools for color correction and the ability to stream live or share videos via social networks.
Price : 1,499$
IBUBBLE
The perfect underwater drone for scuba divers
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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WHY BUY? | + The only real drone, no wire is needed, this product is autonomous and can follow you underwater + Automated Movie Scenarios + Avoid obstacles + Accessory to transform it into ROV |
Surely the most successful submarine drone on the market but also one of the most expensive. The Ibubble unlike the other submarine UAVs of this ranking does not need a wire to move. It is fully autonomous which means it will follow you during your immersion. Equipped with a 4k camera, the Ibubble can also be used manually under water or via a connected bracelet. The delivery date is set for October 2018.
Price : 4,499€
POWERRAY
The perfect drone for fishermen
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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SHOULD I BUY? | + Excellent to find out fishes |
Fishing and high technology do not look like an obvious alliance, but this new innovation gets interesting results. Equipped with sensors and a sonar boarded the drone, you will have access to a wealth of information: presence of fish, water temperature, and typology of the seabed. An underwater camera can record videos in 4K or still images at 12 megapixels.
Prix : From 2,299€
OPENROV
The open source submarine drone
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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WHEN SHOULD I BUY THE CCROV? | + Open source firmware |
This guided ROV submarine robot was created thanks to the Kickstarter crowdfunding website. After a successful campaign ($ 100,000 raised), two engineers designed this ready to use model at a very low cost. The great strength of this underwater robot is to be equipped with an open-source software running GNU / Linux and free download on the internet. The big community that is passionate about remote control robots will be delighted.
Price : from 1,699$
BLUEYE
Best drone for deep diving
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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SHOULD I BUY IT? | + Great angle 1080p + Integrated headlights of 3000 lumens |
Blueye is an underwater drone developed in Norway. Can dive up to 300 meters deep, this ROV is designed for exploration. The drone is equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity and offers two hours of battery life. By using any conventional mobile device, Blueye is really easy to control and can record all types of videos ideally at 30fps / 1080p. Price : From 9,878$
DTG2 SERIES
A fantastic underwater drone for underwater exploration
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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REASON TO BUY THE DTG2 UNDERWATER DRONE | + battery life span + Very high quality of materials |
You must know that drones developed by the Deep Trekker company have been used for year in submarine search and rescue tasks for years. They are not toys! Four models of the DTG2 are available for sale, the only difference is the max depth ability. This underwater drone will be definitely for scientist and underwater workers!
Price : from 4,873$ to 10 000$
BIKI
The little fish company drone
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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WHO MUST BUY THE BIKI? | + Original design + Price + Fun |
Biki is a little underwater robot looking like a fish. Autonomous, it is piloted with a waterproof remote control. Biki is a companion who will follow you during your dives or who will supervise your children in the swimming pool. Equipped with a 4k camera and two LEDs, the Biki renders videos of good quality without too much jerk. This model is by far the cheapest of the ranking because of its less advanced performance. It does not remain however for lack of quality and charm.
Price : from 999$
CCROV
Your professional ROV at attractive price
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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WHEN TO BUY? | + You can carry it in your backpack + Easy to rewind + 4k video quality |
CCROV is the smallest ROV on the market, it is therefore easy to carry in a backpack. Intuitive and easy to use thanks to its 6 thrusters (4 horizontal and 2 vertical) and 5 degrees angle. The CCROV also has a special fastener deployment system that will allow you to deploy and rewind it very quickly. This aquatic drone is essentially suitable if you want to do underwater photography. It is equipped with an Ultra High Definition 4K camera to make photos but also videos.
Price : from 3,299$
NEMO
The submarine drone with 4 propellers
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS | |
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REASON TO BUY THE NEMO | + Easy to carry + Its fast charge modular battery |
Aquarobotman is a high-tech company specialized in the latest ROV generation. Its team has years of experience in robot research and design. It has, moreover, focused for more than three years on the development of a 4-speed system. Nemo, their submarine drone, is equipped with four powerful propellers (two horizontal and two vertical) allowing it to become the first to offer this innovative technology. These propellers offer a maximum speed of 2 m / s, but that’s not all because it also participates in the excellent stability of the aquatic drone.
Equipped with a 4K camera and Wi-Fi connectivity, Nemo has the ability to render images of irreproachable quality, and, moreover, live on your smartphone! Indeed, Aquarobotman offers an application to download on smartphones and tablets, available with iOS and Android. It will allow you to follow live the images filmed by your underwater drone. With a reasonable weight of 3.4 kg, Nemo is easily transportable in its backpack specifically designed and provided at the time of purchase. Thanks to the ergonomic design of the bag, traveling with your drone will no longer be a problem. Nemo is also the first underwater drone with a fast-charging modular battery. So remember to bring with you some backup batteries on your next trip to sea to fully enjoy the whole day with your new Nemo drone.
Price : from 1,999€
