Whether fishing from the beach, boat or riverside, using drones can make a regular fishing trip more successful and fun for any new or seasoned angler. Choosing the best drone for fishing depends on how you want to use the fishing drone and some important environmental factors.
In this article, I’ll touch on the 4 main companies that design drones specifically for fishing and what conditions and purposes these drones are best for.
For more background on the basics of baiting, casting and scouting with drones check out The 101 on Fishing Drones. In that article I also take a look at how you can adapt a normal drone for fishing.
Quick Reference Guide for the Best Fishing Drones:
The Best Fishing Drone for Casting
The SwellPro v4 has the best casting capability with up to 5km range. This fishing drone can also carry up to 2kg which is only surpassed by the Gannet 2 which is designed to lift up to 3.5kg.
The Best Underwater Drone for Fishing
The best underwater drone for fishing is the PowerDolphin by PowerVision. Unlike most underwater drones, the PowerDolphin has the benefits of casting and baiting like muti-rotor drones but is also equipped with sonar and 4K underwater video making this model hard to beat.
Underwater vs Aerial Fishing Drones
The first decision you need to make when choosing a fishing drone is weighing up the pros and cons of aerial and underwater fishing drones.
The biggest players in the fishing drone industry are PowerVision, FiFish, Gannet and SwellPro. Gannet and SwellPro manufacture waterproof multi-rotor drones and PowerVision and FiFish specialise in underwater drones. Using an underwater drone for fishing is ideal in high wind conditions where multi-rotor drones get blown around too much.
Underwater Fishing Drone Pros and Cons
Underwater drones are less commonly used for fishing compared to multi-rotor drones but have some great benefits that make them worth considering. Underwater and surfing fishing drones can still help cast lures and drop bait but have the added benefit of visualising fish habitats clearly with live stream video and sonar.
Pros
- Sonar: Use sonar to locate fish, find crevices and drop offs where fish hide and feed.
- Not limited by the wind
- Longer battery life
- Underwater photography for clearer fish habitat finding
Cons
- Cheaper models are usually tethered so the cable can get caught in obstacles
- Some models don’t handle surf and swell well
Another big benefit of underwater drones is that they aren’t limited by strong winds and rain. While some handle underwater currents better than others, the surf drones like the PowerDolphin can help cast fishing lines out much more effectivley than manualy casting in the wind and when multi-rotor drones can’t fly well.
Multirotor Fishing Drone Pros and Cons
While most multirotor drones have a maximum flight time of 30 minutes, they’re fast and effective at getting an aerial view to look for schools of fish and reefs. This makes them ideal for boat fishing to scout out the best location to drop anchor.
Pros
- The view from the air is great for scouting
- Able to drop lures and bait much further than manually casting
Cons
- Shorter battery life
- No sonar to help ideal fishing spots (crevises and drop offs)
- Limited use in high wind conditions
- Not all models have water and sand proof controllers
PowerVision Fishing Drones
#1 Best Underwater Drone for Fishing : PowerDolphin
The PowerDolphin is a surfing fishing drone that glides along the top of the water and dives down to 80m underwater. This model is untethered with means no bulky reels of cable and the battery life is up to 2 hours which is four times the average multirotor drone flight time.
PowerDolphin fishing drone by PowerRay: detachable bait release module (top left), PowerDolphin fishing drone, PowerSeeker Sonar, remote. Check availability and current best price on Amazon.
Drone fishing capabilities:
- Sonar: Locate fish and sea floor bathymetric mapping (80m range)
- Bait dropping compartment
- Fishing line release system for casting
- Automated waypoint mode and save locations
Tech Specs:
- Range: up to 800m with image transmission
- Battery Life: 2 hours
- Camera: 12MP stills, 4k video, 1080p for long range transmission
- Electric or manual camera tilt to shoot above or below the water
- 1/ 2.3′ lens
- 220 Lumen LED headlight
Bait Release System:
The long capsule in the photo above is the detachable bait release system. The 350ml pod is attached via the opening on the tail of the drone. When the bait release button is pushed the drone spins the capsule 180 degrees so it’s upside down and opens the lid.
The compartment that the bait release system connects to also houses the fishing line release mechanism. Loop the fishing line onto the payload connector then drive the drone to the location you want to drop the lure.

PowerSeeker Sonar :
The PowerSeeker sonar transmits real-time sonar images to your phone to locate fish, check the water temperature and map the water bottom. A bathymetric map is displayed when topography mapping is enabled.
The sonar attachment for the PowerDolphin fishing drone can also be used with the PowerRay model and independently ie on a fishing line.
SwellPro Drones for Fishing
SwellPro manufacture waterproof drones for a range of budgets from about $1000 – $4000. They currently offer 3 waterproof drones which can all be fitted with the bait release system:
- SwellPro FD1 Fisherman : The most affordable drone in the range which is equipt for fishing
- SwellPro Spry+: Higher quality camera and waterproof controller ideal for water sports
- SwellPro SplashDrone V4: Designed for enterprise use with 5km image transmission, 2kg payload capacity, can fly in rain or snow, waterproof controller and drone body.
SwellPro FD1 Fisherman
The FD1 is SwellPro’s base line fishing drone. It has a bait release system which can carry up to 2kg. The IP rating of IP67 means the FD1 is waterproof however, this applies to the drone body only, the controller is not waterproof.
A nice touch to this drone is the GL1 goggles. These are designed for FPV but can also be attached to the controller or a tri-pod so you can see the live stream footage without loosing line of site with the drone.
Drone fishing capabilities:
- Lure / bait release system: up to 2kg capacity
- Take off from in the water
- Power flip command: The drone can turn it’s self over if flipped over in the water by waves.

Above: The bait release system is controlled by a release pin in the bottom of the drone. A loop of fishing line is inserted into the bait release system.
Tech Specs
- Range: 1.6kms
- Battery Life: 30m
- Camera: 1080p video
- Wind Resistance: 8m/s
Best Fishing Drone for Casting: SwellPro Splash V4
The Splash V4 is SwellPro’s top-tier model designed for both enterprise use and serious drone fishing. It can handle strong wind with a max wind speed of 20m/s and has a better camera than the FD1 which shoots video in 4k.
SwellPro have also made a huge improvement on the range of this drone compared to previous models. The Splash V4 can fly up to 5km from the controller which is more than three times the range of the FD1.
Unlike the FD1, the controller that comes with the Splash V4 is completely waterproof.
Tech Specs
- Range: 5 kms
- Battery Life: 30m
- Camera: 4k video
- Wind Resistance: 20m/s; 45mph
Drone fishing capabilities:
The Splash V4 has all the fishing features of the FD1 with the addition of being designed to work with the SwellPro Dronar FishFinder. This is small ball shaped sonar device which is hung from the drone and needs to be floating on the surface of the water. The drone can either be set to hover, tow the sonar along from a fixed height or land in the water while your checking the sonar display.
The Dronar FishFinder displays the water temperature and depth, towing the sonar along the water surface can help find water bottom drop offs or reef when choosing your fishing spot.
Waterproof drones are SwellPro’s core business and v4 is their most recent release. This is an all season drone which can with stand snow, rain and wind speeds up to 20m/s (level 7).
Gannet Drones for Fishing
Gannet fishing drones are less well known. The company is based in New Zealand and started out manufacturing fishing attachments for popular consumer drones like from DJI and SwellPro.
Gannet drones are completely waterproof and capable of flying even in heavy rainfall. The drones feature durable, multi-layer seals that enable users to change the battery in wet conditions. The remote controls are designed to resist sand, making them ideal for beach fishing and preventing joystick jamming.
They are also very robust in the wind, capable of flying in windspeeds over 40km/hr.

Gannet II+ and Gannet Max II+
The Gannet II+ and Gannet Max II+ can carry up to 2.5kg. They have built in 4k cameras with 2 axial gimbals. The Gannet II+ can hover up to 29 minutes and the Max version can hover up to 25 minutes.
Drone fishing capabilities:
- Lure and bait drop system
- 5 Payload attachment points
- Sand and water proof controller
- Waterproof drone body and camera

Gannet recommends using a drop loop which extends the distance between the lure and the drone. This reduces the swinging action of the bait or lure and makes the drone’s flight more stable.
Tech Specs
- Battery Life: 29 minutes (II+) 25 minutes (Max II+)
- Range: 1.6km
- Camera: 4K
Gannet offer very high quality, well thought out design but one of the reasons I prefer the SwellPro Splash V4 is because it has a 3 axial gimbal. This means more stable, clear footage.
FiFish Underwater Fishing Drones
QYSEA FiFish V6 Expert
The FiFish V6 Expert is the upgraded model from the well known V6 model which was released in 2019. When purchasing the Expert version, the robotic arm and VR goggles are included. This model also has an advanced battery that allows up to 6 hours of use in calm water.
This drone is designed with underwater exploration in mind for marine biologists, aquaculture and underwater criminal investigation. This drone is ideal for underwater exploration and has great movement, the thrusters are designed so it can move in any direction unlike the PowerVision drones.
The goggles also make operating this drone a fully immersive experience
Drone fishing capabilities:
- 220 Lumen LED
- Robotic arm with 5 kg gripping force
Tech Specs:
- Range: 200m tethered
- Battery life: 1.5 hours in swell up to 1m/s, 6 hours in still water
- Camera: 4K Video
Some of the potential downsides choosing FiFish compared to other drones for fishing is that they are designed for a broader range of use like marine observation and underwater investigation. This means they have fantastic imaging capabilities but are missing some of the design elements we see in other drones that make them ideal for fishing.
As a general underwater drone, one of the potential downsides is that it’s tethered meaning it’s limited to the 200m cable.
Wrap Up on the Best Drone for Fishing
When it come to using drones for fishing, the PowerVision is hard to beat. It can drop bait directly to a specific location underwater, map out the water bottom, stream 4K underwater footage and cast lures out up to 800m.
However, if you’re looking for the benefits of aerial photography and want a fully waterproof drone, SwellPro’s FD1 and Splash V4 are my top picks. The FD1 is the most affordable option but the compromise is the non-waterproof controller and shorter range. The Splash V4 is a bit more expensive but can be flown in higher wind speeds, can be coupled with sonar and has a waterproof controller.