The Ultimate Buying Guide for Underwater Drones
Things to Consider Before Buying Underwater Drones
Now that you have viewed the top 8 best underwater drones on the market today, it's time to discuss the ultimate buying guide.
Especially if you are purchasing an underwater drone for the first time, you may not be sure what specifications and special features to look for before making a final purchase decision.
Do not accidentally purchase a low-quality underwater drone. If so, you may need to return it or keep the drone to use as a backup as you buy a new, higher-quality model.
The specifications that you should consider when purchasing an underwater drone include:
- Camera
- Smartphone app capability
- Wireless connectivity
- Maximum depth
- Battery life
- Size
- Speed
Camera
If your underwater drone comes with a camera, make sure that it is of high quality. The only one on our list that did not come with a camera is the Geneinno Trident S2. Most cameras featured on our list have either 1080 HD screen resolution and others with 4 K/ 12 megapixels cameras.
These specifications are the highest quality camera resolution, giving you crisper images when viewing aquatic wildlife.
If the camera does not have HD, it can still be functional. The Eyoyo Fish Finder has a 1000TVL camera which only converts to 0.92 megapixels. Hence, this is much lower than the usual 12 megapixels on a 4K HD camera. However, we still featured the Fish Finder for those on a budget and more focused on functionality for finding their catch than needing the crisp image for viewing pleasure.
Smartphone Capability
Most underwater drones, such as the FIFISH and CHASING brands, can be controlled using a smartphone app. You can control the depth, degree span of viewing, video capturing, photo capturing, and more.
Smartphone capability for an underwater drone allows you to get more of a personal first-person view (FPV), just like the models that come with a VR headset.
While remote control is functional and can be used to control a drone, using a smartphone gives you more perks. You get access to the specific controls to adjust depth and zooming in and out settings. Depending on your smartphone's screen display, you even have a higher definition camera viewing capability.
Wireless Connectivity
Wireless connectivity makes it easier for the drone to navigate the water. Having to hook up a drone to a cable cord, while it keeps track of it in the water, can be a pain to reel in when it's time to go home.
With wireless connectivity, you can communicate with the drone utilizing the wireless controller to come up to the surface without having to pull up a cord. Not only is wireless connectivity more convenient, but is also easier to control for beginners without the added complication of having to reel in a cable.
Maximum Depth
Maximum depth is one of the important variables involved in purchasing an underwater drone. Especially if you want to see deep-sea creatures such as starfish, octopuses, jellyfish, squid, and whale fish, you would want a drone that can withstand a very far maximum depth in diving.
The maximum depth of a couple of the drones featured here goes up to 100 m (or 330 ft). This is important not only for seeing sea creatures that live in deeper depths, but also a safer viewing experience as many divers can only get up to as far as 56 m before going back up to the surface.
According to the Smithsonian, once diving has reached 200 m, it gets much colder and there is barely any light for a human to see adequately when diving.
Hence, most drones do not exceed the 100 m maximum depth for diving so that it's a better viewing experience and so your drone does not get lost in the cold and dark depths at the 200 m mark.
Battery Life
Especially if you are far from civilization when studying aquatic life, battery life is crucial to consider when purchasing an underwater drone.
Most batteries are replaceable and chargeable for an easy recharging experience once the battery has gone dead.
The Chasing F1 Portable Underwater Drone has the highest battery life of our featured list, with 6 hours total. The Eyoyo Fish Finder has only 45 minutes of battery life, which, while that is low, it's great for people that go on super quick fishing trips at different bodies of water throughout their area.
Be sure to read all the battery life features. Some batteries have a lower battery life expectancy if you have the lights turned up to the highest brightness. In this case, try to find a happy medium where the lights are bright enough for you to see and capture high-quality video without compromising on battery life.
To be on the safe side, be sure that you have 1-2 backup batteries that will last for the amount of time in which you plan your trip on the water.
Size
Size is important to consider when purchasing an underwater drone because you want to be sure you get the correct size for the function in which you need this device to perform.
If you prefer the mini drones, these are best for viewing aquatic life for fun and capturing some pictures for memory.
If you prefer larger drones, these are best for great video capture, professional photo capture, and could even be used for commercial purposes if that applies to you!
Drone size is related to camera size (if there is a camera on the model chosen). Mini drones have much smaller cameras while larger drones have bigger cameras.
Size matters when it comes to traveling around with the drone, too. Mini drones can fit into a backpack while larger drones sometimes come with their carrying case.
The Eyoyo Fish Finder is the most compact in its aluminum carrying case because it only has a 9-inch LED display screen and a 2 lb camera.
The QYSEA FIFISH V6 weighs the most on this list at a whopping 37 lbs. While it weighs the most, it has the highest battery life because of the technology and wiring inside the drone to make the longer battery life possible.
Speed
Speed is measured by knots or meters per second when evaluating how fast a drone can go underwater.
Most drone models go between 3-4 knots with some models going 2 knots. The faster the speed, the more widespan your pictures.
Suppose any animals attempt to attack your drone during your underwater viewing experience. In that case, a faster speed will help it to escape the animal so that you do not have to be tasked with purchasing another drone.
The speed of a drone can also capture fish and other aquatic animals that move very quickly throughout the water.
A drone with a higher speed will keep track of faster-moving animals better and make video-capturing more natural. A slower-speed drone can make it feel like the video you have captured is in a slower motion.
Other Tips for Buying an Underwater Drone
Here are some additional tips for purchasing an underwater drone:
- Do not get the cheapest model. Doing so may cause you to pay more in the long run if the quality is not there.
- Check product reviews from customers before making your final purchase decision.
- Watch product review videos on YouTube (if applicable) to see how the drone works before purchasing. It's better to see a drone in action rather than you having to find out yourself.
- While shopping online is great, try to find local retailers that sell underwater drones so that you can see them in person and feel them out before your final purchase.
What is your favorite underwater drone?
Do you prefer an underwater drone that grazes only the shallow depths of the water or goes as deep as 100 m like the top models featured here?
Would you prefer a drone with a camera or one without a camera so that you can use your GoPro?
Everyone has different reasons for utilizing an underwater drone. There is a special model out there that fits your needs and wants related to viewing underwater wildlife.
Let us know your favorite drone out of the lineup in the comments! If we missed one of your favorite models, tell us what you love about another model to get the discussion started with other readers!
Happy diving!