With a maximum ISO of 1600, the camera is more than capable in the depths the PowerRay can manage, though the 1/2.3-inch sensor could be bigger in a perfect world. The depths can be a murky place, even the first few meters, so the Ray adds two dimmable 450-lumen headlight lights to illuminate your subject, which can be captured in 4K (30fps max) or 4,000 x 3,000-pixel stills. The body also features a central vertical thruster to make changing depth a straightforward process that won’t cause tangling of the communication cable. Traveling underwater is not a friendly environment for high-frequency radio used for the live video feedback on aerial drones, so the PowerRay is provided with a 70m (230ft) umbilical cable that gently rests behind it as it is propelled by its two horizontal props. Read: The best underwater housings for cameras and phones Best for explorers This could make a boat trip more fun, or even add educational value to exploring lakeside pools. For most, this will be all the underwater drone needed, and the app is well-featured, even supporting live streaming to social media. That means you’ll need to be cautious of getting water on the touch screen but on the plus side the battery is contained in the drone and is the only element you’ll need to charge and the 720p live feed is ideal for piloting with. Secondly the umbilical is significantly shorter, though the surface end is actually a floating Wi-Fi buoy, so you can throw it in the water and, so long as you’re within Wi-Fi range of it (admittedly not far given the water), you have control, maximizing the use of the 15m (50ft) tether.įinally, that control is all on-screen using the app, so there is no physical controller unit. So how has Chasing sliced the price so low?įirstly the camera is a more modest 1080p, supported by only 250 lumens of light (at shallower depths this shouldn’t be an issue). It’s certainly the same striking yellow and pleasingly incorporates the maneuverable five-thruster design, which makes it possible to tilt the body (and, by extension, the camera) up and down. If you think that might make it hard to control, worry not – the depth lock feature is retained from its bigger brother too. This is in many respects a smaller version of Chasing’s Gladius Mini. We must admit we liked the option of VR head tracking (the drone ‘looks’ with you) and appreciated that a cable reel was in the bundle. There is also now a sleek black ‘Expert’ edition of this drone with 6000-lumen lighting and the option of on-shore power for longer missions, and other accessories on offer including sonar sensors. This will be ideal for positioning other equipment remotely or attempting to grip and lift sea-floor discoveries. In fact, many of the features – 4K camera and dual 2000-lumen lights – are more costly elsewhere and this may be the most wallet-friendly way to add a robot claw with over 5kg (11lbs) gripping force to your underwater expeditions. It does have a lock-depth button (like hover), however, which is useful to have easy access to. It's easy to use, and the posture lock (‘hover’) maintains position accurately, but we did wonder why the pad was plain white – a touch too generic. The controller is reminiscent of a drone controller, with a space for a phone as a monitor. On its own, this is a good quality ROV with a 100m maximum depth and tether to match. The Fifish is available as a standard V6 and the V6S includes the robot arm accessory.
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