Spry Drone Can Can Capture Underwater Video As Well

A new drone which is currently the subject of a Kickstarter fundraising campaign has the unusual ability to land on the water and briefly submerge, capturing underwater video before surfacing and returning to the air.

The Spry drone, which is a collaboration of Urban Drones ... the maker of the waterproof Splash Drone ... and SwellPro. It is based on a racing drone design and can fly at speeds of up to 43 miles per hour, according to the company. The flight time is listed at 17 minutes.

New Atlas reports that the Spry drone is controlled by a waterproof transmitter, or can be programmed to follow a specific flight path. It has Follow and Object Orbit flight modes and an auto return functions that will find the operator even if he or she has moved after takeoff.

In its manual mode, the Spry drone can be landed upside down on the water, and the rotors will pull it beneath the surface. It floats back to the surface in an upright orientation, and can then return to the air. FPV goggles are also available.

The on-board camera will capture video in 4K at 30 FPS and capture 12 megapixel still images.

Backers of the project who pledge $729 can get a delivery position for the Spry drone when (and if) production starts. The suggested retail price is $989, according to the report. The Kickstarter page says that backers can expect first deliveries in December of this year.

(Image from Spry drone website)

FMI: Original report, Kickstarter, www.swellpro.com/spry.html