What’s the Best Choice For a Fishing Drone? [2019]
As all anglers will tell you, though there is a lot of finesse and skill in fishing, they will take all the help they can get to catch fish. You have your favorite rod, lures, spoons, specially bred big worms, and lucky charms. You are about to hit the water, but you are just not sure where that monster rainbow trout or salmon is lurking out on the large but shallow body of water.
Anticipation is everything with anglers and the heart races as they wait for that “thump” as the whopper snaffles the bait and the battle ensues before it is caught. Nowadays, however, there is no need to search enormous shallow waters for days on end to meet up with those dream fish. Welcome to the world of drones with HD cameras for fishing.
A fishing drone can help the modern fisherman with their fishing trip in a variety of ways. You can get a camera attached to such a drone to let it go out and look for things. The things that a drone can do for you after you have appropriately prepared its design to include the following:
- It can identify spots in your area where fish may be found. It can review spots where fish might be close to the surface and even show how they are migrating.
- It can also look at wave patterns and other features within the water around an area. It helps you stay protected and ahead of the curve with regards to handling your boat.
- Predators and other dangerous forms of sea life can also be spotted from above with a drone. It will be easier for you to spot them than if you were at regular sea level.
Regardless of the body of water, you will have a rather easy time with finding fish when you look around an area with a strong and clearly visible drone. But the options for fishing drones are still rather varied. This article is going to take a closer look at the individual fishing drone options you can find today.
A quick note:
You will typically have to use your own camera with any of these fishing drones. It’s easy to get real-time readouts over what’s on your camera depending on the model you use though. Be sure to look at how well your camera is run and that it’s not too hard to make it work in any particular situation.
Splash Drone Mariner II
To have a great fishing drone, you need to use a model that can handle the water. The Splash Drone Mariner II is one model capable of lasting through humid conditions. It can be flown near watery surfaces and will not be damaged by the water that gets in the way.
The body is fully waterproof with enough shields and guards to keep water from getting into its mechanics. It can work with any kind of live action camera you have. You can also review the feed on your camera through a strong signal that links to a mobile device although you would need a separate app depending on what you are using.
This also uses a GPS signal to identify where it is located in real time. The carbon fiber propellers also keep the weight light so it stays nimble and easy to use.
Idea-Fly Poseidon-480
The next of the choices for you to look at is the Idea-Fly Poseidon-480. This uses a secure cover over the gimbal and camera area to keep it from being at risk of water damage.
This uses a GPS signal and can also handle Level 5 winds. You can keep it hovering over a spot you are trying to review for minutes at a time. It helps you analyze how the waters are moving and if there are any trends in how fast the fish are moving or if there are plenty of them in a spot.
No, all Poseidon-480 models come with waterproof gimbal. Make sure the model you choose is designed with such a feature so it can keep on working properly.
DJI Mavic Pro Quadcopter
The next choice to look at is the DJI Mavic Pro drone. This also comes with a protective guard over the gimbal and camera. What makes this noteworthy is that it can identify your height about the ground and keep it at a consistent height.
This means that when the elevation down below changes, the drone will move up or down accordingly to keep its distance. This is important as the waves and other movements around the water can be tough to manage. The drone will adjust its height in accordance with whatever might occur around the water, thus keeping splash problems under control. Read more about Finding aLong Distance Drone.
The Intelligent Flight Battery can also last for a little more than 25 minutes. You could use this to keep watch over a certain spot for a period of time. It should last long enough to where you can easily control the drone and move it over into a spot where it can identify what’s in an area.
Swell Pro Splash Drone
A special part of this drone model is that it comes with its own waterproof feature. It uses a system where the gimbal is fully waterproof and easy to handle. It also has a sturdy carbon fiber body that keeps water outside its main body. This should work well if you need to get a little closer to the water to get a clear shot the fish in an area.
An app program is also included with this drone. It keeps an eye on where you are going with it and can connect directly to your camera. It works with most modern GoPro camera options. You can even get a display linked right next to the controller on this drone. This is to give you a clearer view of what is up in the air while piloting your drone.
You can also wash off the drone after you are done using it. It can be cleaned with regular water to keep it looking good as new. This is also so you can secure the drone in its aluminum carrying case if desired. The general organization of this drone makes it a powerful option that fits in perfectly with the needs you hold for transporting it right.
Look around when finding a fishing drone and see that the choice you have is capable of getting out there over the water with ease. You must have a drone that is easy to control and can handle the water. Don’t forget to look at how well you can view what’s on the camera in real time.
When you have a great drone on hand, you will know everything that is happening over the water. It gives you the control help that you need the most when you’re out there getting different shots going.
It’s June 2018 and I fly a Splash Drone 3 which can land in the water and take pictures underwater. I use it to monitor reef development on our nearshore artificial reef projects. There is a camera with a drop servo available now, but I do not have that module. I have the 14 MP camera alone. I do not think I would use the drop feature, but if I had to replace a camera for some reason I might opt for the i gimbal 14 MP camera with the drop servo. One thing I have noticed is that turtles are wary of it flying above them and will immediately dive to a save depth if I get directly over them. It’s best to shoot at a 45 degree angle from up sun to get better photos and eliminate glare.