Waterproof Drone for Underwater and Aerial Operation

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A new compact waterproof drone is capable of making short “flights” beneath the surface and fly through the air. The Spry drone is purpose-built for action in the harsh marine environment with specially coated motors and corrosion resistant materials throughout. The drone was developed by Splash Drone which has joined forces with SwellPro.

The drone is based on a racing-drone design, and is capable of flying through the air at speeds of up to 70 km/h (43 mph), staying airborne for a claimed 17 minutes per charge of its interchangeable battery, according to newatlas.com.

It can be controlled in real time via an included radio remote control unit – which is also waterproof – or it can use its GPS to autonomously follow a pre-programed flight path.

Users can select flight modes such as Follow, in which it flies along above a tracked moving target; Object Orbit, in which it circles a target while keeping it centered in the shot; and Auto Return, in which it automatically flies back to the user, even if their location has changed since take-off.

Users can land it upside-down on the water, then activate its now-downwards-facing propellers to briefly pull it into the inky depths. It subsequently floats back up in a right-side-up orientation, so it can take off again upon surfacing.