When most people think of drones, they look up to the sky. Another emerging consumer drone segment is that of the underwater variety. CHASING has just hit Kickstarter to fund the DORY Underwater Drone.
CHASING first hit the crowdfunding scene back in 2017 with their GLADIUS underwater drone, which was funded over 1600% by the time the campaign ended. Successfully delivering to all of their backers, DORY has a lower price point and has been designed to “bring the aquatic world to the masses.”
The company claims that DORY’s high-end f/1.6 low-light CMOS camera offers up vivid photos in all conditions. The two 250-lumen lights help illuminate the depths below without disturbing ocean wildlife. The drone can reach depths of up to 49-feet with a 15-meter tether (32 feet with a 10-meter tether) and travels up to 1.5 knots.
The included buoy boasts Wi-Fi and 8GB of memory storage. With the buoy, you can stay connected up to 15 meters away from it using the companion smartphone app. The app allows you to control the drone itself, as well as lets you share footage you capture to social media and even stream live. The app also has a Co-Play feature which lets one user control the drone while a second person can control the camera.
DORY’s key features include:
- Portability: DORY is smaller than a sheet of paper and fits into many bags and most backpacks; take it with you on your adventures
- Intuitive controls: Set DORY up in just seconds and control the drone from our mobile app. Just plug, plunge, and play!
- Serious tech at an entry-level price: DORY includes temp and depth sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers and more features aimed at consumer use at a consumer-friendly price
- F1.6 camera with 100 degree FOV, 1080p video: Take quality underwater photos and videos, and even livestream and share to social media
Full specifications can be seen in the graphic below.
The DORY Underwater Drone is available for as low as US$349 or $379 with the optional backpack. Launched today, the project is already two-thirds funded (at the time of this post) with just under $20,000 backed of the $30,000 all-or-nothing goal. The drone includes free worldwide shipping and is expected to start shipping in October.
As with any crowdfunding campaign, there is a risk supporting them. We’ve recently heard about several that we’ve written about that have failed or are having issues. Our reporting on Kickstarter campaigns does not mean we support or are affiliated with them. Support at your own risk.
What do you think about the CHASING DORY Underwater Drone? Is it something you’ll be backing? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter, Facebook, or MeWe.
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