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With more and more players entering the waterproof drone fishing market it can be hard to navigate between them and determine what drone will suit your needs. Every drone is different in many ways and each drone has its own set of features and benefits. We will endeavour to assist you to find the right drone to suit your needs and requirements, and hopefully help you to avoid expensive mistakes.

The first question you need to ask yourself is, are you after a dedicated waterproof drone for fishing or are you after a multi-use drone that can also provide camera and video functions? This is a particularly important question as most dedicated fishing drones have reef spotting cameras between 720P and 1080P, and some are fixed without a gimbal, so the ability to take 2K or 4K images will be exceedingly difficult.

The second most important question is regarding the manufacturer – What is the manufacturer’s track record? – How long have they been manufacturing drones? What service and technical knowledge networks are accessible and are parts readily available?

When considering the purchase of a dedicated waterproof fishing drone please consider the following in addition to the important considerations listed above.

10 Most important questions and features to consider

1. Is the drone highly stable and reliable?

A recent survey conducted showed that flight stability and reliability was the most important thing a consumer wanted in a fishing drone, such as Multiple safety functions, Strength of transmission signal and GPS signal strength. The stronger the GPS signal and satellite acquisition will reduce loss of GPS connection and signal. (It is important to note here that all drones have two main flying modes being GPS and Altitude mode) – ‘Fly Away’s’ due to loss of GPS signal is not a failure of the drone, but in most cases a failure of the user to understand the two flying modes and when to use them.

Every drone owner should upskill themselves in Altitude mode so in the event of a GPS signal failure, they can safely and manually fly the drone to safety.

• Does the drone have multiple safety functions? Safety functions that are most important in a fishing drone include the following:
  • Verbal warnings such as Altitude, battery level, magnetic interference, GPS status and so forth.
  • Return to Land ‘RTL’ due to loss of signal
  • Return to Land ‘RTL’ due to low battery
  • Return to Land ‘RTL’ due to loss of thrust
  • Does the drone have Self-Protect functions? In addition to RTL, does the drone deploy the bait when these safety functions are activated?
• Flight stability – Can the drone handle winds up to 40kph, and wind gusts up to 50kph?
• Does the drone have the latest flight controller technology? Does the flight controller have the capacity and speed to quickly process data when it is dealing with high winds and payloads that exceed 1Kg?
• Does the drone have a high flotation and waterproof rating?
• Can the drone land on all types of surfaces including sand, rocks and unlevel ground?
• Does the drone have a GPS system that enables concurrent satellite acquisition of up to 3 GNSS satellite systems? The stronger the GPS system the less risk of GPS glitches.
• Can you set waypoints and save favourite GPS fishing spots?
• Can you create missions to automatically launch the drone with the bait rig – fly to GPS position – drop the rig and bait – return to land and shut down the motors with the push of a button?
• Does the drone have a Worldwide community forum?

Ultimately the final question you need to ask yourself is – Are you prepared to risk $2000 -$3000 on a drone that does not have these most important specifications and Safety features?

Multi-Use Waterproof Drones

The Swellpro Splashdrone 3+ is not included in the comparison below as we regard the Splashdrone 3+ as a waterproof camera platform that enables drone fishing. Swellpro has been successfully manufacturing drones for more than 4 years now and their products have steadily improved over time. Splashdrone 3+ is the clear winner when it comes to a ‘Waterproof Multi-Use Platform’ drone that provides the user with a drone they can use for 50% fishing and 50% for camera/video usage. As Splashdrone 3+ is not a dedicated fishing drone, it does not have the features that a high-end fishing drone has, but it does have multi use features that a dedicated fishing does not have.

Dedicated Waterproof Drones for Fishing

The only dedicated fishing drone that has all these specifications and features listed above is the new Cuta Copter EX-1. Cuta Copter has been manufacturing fishing drones in South Africa for over 5 years and is the pioneer in this field. Extensive research and development over the years has produced the most advanced fishing drone on the planet – the EX-1.

The comparison below is based on the two waterproof fishing drones currently available that are priced above AUD $2000 being the Cuta Copter and Gannet drone.

Comparison between Cuta Copter EX-1 4S and 6S and Gannet Pro and Pro Plus

(Specifications and features listed in this comparison are current as at 22^nd Nov 2020)

Drone fishing is unique and in a lot of ways very similar to balloon and kite fishing. With these fishing styles they all utilise a rig and bait delivery method rather than a casting action. Each of these fishing styles enables the delivery of the rig and bait out to distances of up to 500 metres. At these distances the angler can target much deeper water and larger fish, but as appealing as this is to many – it in turn creates a whole new set of challenges.

Choosing the fishing rod for Drone Fishing

Traditional surf rods can be used for drone fishing – but they are not ideally suited to this style of fishing.  Essentially, surf rods are designed with a cast action and are usually between 10-14-foot-long to maximise casting distance and to also keep the line out from the shore break. Surf rods are also not designed for long retrievals under load and are generally limited in line break strain and drag ratings, so they do not cope well with a hook up from large deep-water sea creatures. Offshore boat rods have the strength required to deal with the large retrievals under load and deal well with large monsters of the deep, but lack the height required to keep the line above the shore break.

The ideal rod for drone fishing is a hybrid surf and offshore boat rod such as the OANNES Drone Master Series. Drone Master Series rods have been specifically designed and built to OANNES high quality standards, employing state of the art carbon fibre and X weave blank technology. All OANNES rods are equipped with high end FUJI components specific to the rods design, and the task at hand – To Submit and Conquer!

Ideal attributes of a Drone Fishing rod are;

• Capable of handling large targeted fish of 20– 40lbs, with the strength to deal with the wanted or unwanted by-product monsters of the deep 60-130lbs
• Have the strength and resilience capable of regular large line retrievals of 300-450 metres under load
• Have the adequate height of a surf rod to keep the line above the shore break and without the need for casting action
• Utilise high end guide rings to minimise and dissipate heat on large line retrievals and use appropriate guide frames such as Fuji K series to reduce line tangle
• Fitted with heavy duty and corrosion resistant reel seats to cater for matched reels specific to the task – enabling large spool capacities up to 400 – 600 metres and drag ratings up to 20 – 40kg’s

What fishing reels are best suited to drone fishing

Overhead and spinning reels can be used dependent upon whether the rod is designed for each type of fishing reel and have drag ratings of between 15kg – 40kg. Importantly they must have adequate spool capacities of between 500-700 metres – dependent on the line used and line diameter.

Overhead

Overhead reels perfectly suited with adequate line capacities include, Daiwa Seaborg 800MJ and 1200MJ, Shimano Talica TAC50II, Shimano Talica 16 and 25, Shimano Tyrnos 20 and 30, PENN International INT50VISW and INT70VIS, PENN Fathom FTH40NLD and FTH40NLDHS, Shimano Forcemaster 6000 and 9000 Electric reels, Shimano Beastmaster 9000 Gigamax, and Maxel Rage 90n.

Spinning

Spinning reels Suitable reels with adequate spool capacities include, Daiwa Saltiga Dogfight 8000DF and 8000DHF, Daiwa Saltiga Expedition 8000H-EXP, Shimano Stella SWC 14000 PG, PENN Slammer III 8500, 8500HS, 9500, 10,500 and PENN Spinfisher VI 9500 and 10,500, Shimano Baitrunner 14000 XTB.

The lists above are not exhaustive and there are many other reels that can be used and cater to your budget – so long as the spool capacity can handle your chosen line. Please feel free to comment and let us know what reels you use.

Selecting the line for drone fishing

Drone fishing requires line that has a very small diameter with high breaking strains to enable a greater quantity of line to be spooled to the reel.

PE Confusion and what it is exactly

PE is an acronym for Polyethylene and is a Japanese measurement/numbering system of line diameter ‘Area’, also known as ‘gouw’ and was originally used as a measurement for silk thread. As such, this is what has caused so much confusion as it is the measurement of diameter and not the breaking strain. PE ratings vary between manufacturers due to the different technologies employed, materials used, and the number of braid strands utilized.

One manufacturer may advertise a PE rating of 5 and note a break strain of 30lbs when another manufacturer may have a break strain 40 – 50lbs.

Braid

If you are using braid for drone fishing, look for one that has a low PE with matched break strain ratings relevant to the rod used. Drone fishing requires large line capacities of ideally 500-700 metres, so the smaller the diameter ‘PE’, will enable more line to be spooled on your reel.

Another important factor to consider when choosing a braid is its abrasion resistance and quality. The braid should be silky smooth to limit reel bind and reduce heat on retrievals over large distances and always use a fluorocarbon or Mono shock leader

Mono or Fluorocarbon

Mono can be used effectively, is cheaper than braid and fluorocarbon and has more elasticity. Fluorocarbon can also be used and has several advantages over mono such as its higher abrasion resistance and is less visible than mono. Another important factor is fluorocarbons generally have a thinner diameter than mono with the same break strain ratings – enabling larger spool capacity.

One of the most important factors to understand is the Pendulum effect. Pendulum effect is created when a weight is suspended from a pivot point and the weight begins momentum. When a line is attached to a drone with the weight closer to the drone, it will create a greater Pendulum effect, resulting in the drone becoming highly unstable with the potential of line tangling around the drone – resulting in a catastrophic crash. Always ensure the weight is a minimum of 3.5 to 6 metres below the pivot point of the drone. The Cuta-Copter EX1 features an anti pendulum effect safety feature and enables shorter rigs to be used.

The Basic Drone Fishing Rig

A basic drone fishing rig is ideally 4.5 – 6 metres long and a simple rig comprises of the following starting at the main line and working down.

3-way swivel to main line and a 1 metre drop loop attached to the side of the 3-way swivel – (Used to attach to the bait release on the drone)
1.5 metre Fluro carbon joining the 3-way swivel to another 3-way swivel at the end
From the 3 way swivel your hooks can be connected and the hook setup is determined by the fish species being targeted with a maximum length of 30cm.
From the bottom of the 3-way swivel attach another 1.5 metres of lighter gauge Fluorocarbon or mono to the sinker – the sinkers you use are determined by a combination of factors including floor structure, current and wind.
This basic rig can be increased in length to include a second hook setup and the length can also be extended to suit the water column you are fishing.

TIP: Simple party balloons can also be used to lift the bait higher into the water column – we find the balloon inflated to the size of a tennis sized ball works best.

Drone Flying – How to

So, you are a keen fisherman and would like to have a crack at Drone Fishing – but you have never flown a drone before. Well this article will assist you greatly and hopefully reduce the expensive mistakes many of us have made in the past.

Drone fishing is unique and in a lot of ways very similar to balloon and kite fishing. With these fishing styles they all utilise a rig and bait delivery method rather than a casting action. Each one of these fishing styles enables the delivery of the rig and bait out to distances of up to 500 metres. At these distances the angler can target much deeper water and larger fish, but as appealing as this is to many – it in turn creates a whole new set of challenges. The results from using a drone can dramatically increase the species you catch and the quantity. It is also way cheaper than buying and maintaining a boat.

When drone flying there are some important things you should do and not do, to reduce the risk and maximise your success. Below are several do’s and don’ts and some of these pointers listed are common sense, but it is a good idea to read these before your first few drone flying adventures.

Drone Flying Do’s

• Read the drones manual and make sure you fully understand it
• Watch the instructional videos
• Always use the GPS mode when starting
• Always choose a large location such as a park and locate yourself in the very middle away from poles and trees with a 20metre maximum radius.
• Always use a drone landing pad to ensure a safe and flat landing platform such as the OANNES 130cm folding landing pad or the OANNES 1.8 X 1.8 metre landing mat.
• Always ensure the drones compass is properly calibrated and take the drone to a maximum height of 10 metres and hover it for 10 seconds – make sure the drone is behaving correctly and maintaining position – if not, carefully land the drone and perform the calibration procedure again.  
• When calibrating any drone, keep the rotations tight and this will provide a more precise compass calibration. Download the useful APP UAV Forecast as this will give you an idea if Satellite reception in your area is good or bad on the particular day.
• If you are having trouble calibrating the drones compass and the drone is erratic or ‘toilet bowling’ it maybe due to a magnetic interference in the area. It is better to move from that location and try another one. Large steel light poles, concrete pavement that uses steel reinforcing, buildings etc will create a magnetic interference
• Make sure you know the position of the front of your drone and always watch your drone to ensure you know the direction the drone is facing – If your eyesight is less than perfect, always wear glasses when flying.

WARNING: While learning, your mind will be focused on the drone – But you must also               constantly monitor the drone and remote controller’s battery life.

Drone Flying Don’ts

• Never learn to fly your drone when the wind is more than half the rated wind rating of your drone – the lower the wind level the better- Calm is perfect.
• Never calibrate your drones compass next cars, power lines, buildings or parking lots that may have metal bar in them that can give off high magnetic fields. Remove keys, metals and mobile phones from your pockets.
• Never fly the drone without reading the instruction manual or watching the videos tutorials first and always keep the manual with you while flying.
• Do not break the drone rules and make sure you can fly in the location – apps such as oktofly or openskys can be downloaded for free at CASA

TIP: Pre-Flight checklists can be highly beneficial to make sure you have checked all important factors prior to flying and it teaches regimentation in your pre-flight checks. Please download the free pre-flight checklist at https://ultimatedronefishing.com/knowledge-base/pre-flight-checklist/

Drone Flying Safety

One of the main responsibilities all drone owners have, is to ensure you understand the drone laws and you operate the drone safely. Make sure you understand and comply with the rules in your country as the fines can be very large.

In Australia the drone rules are governed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority ‘CASA’ and they can be accessed at https://www.casa.gov.au/drones/rules/drone-safety-rules
In New Zealand the drone rules are governed by the Civil Aviation Authority New Zealand ‘CAA’ – drone rules can be accessed here https://www.flyyourdrone.nz/
For the United States of America the ‘FAA’ Federal Aviation Administration governs UAV’s and information can be located here https://www.faa.gov/uas/

Drone Simulators

Using a Drone simulator is a fantastic way to learn how to fly a drone and to hone your skills without the risk of losing your drone. A drone flight simulator enables you to get your flying hours up in the comfort of your home and without distractions. They are also great when your time is short, or the weather conditions are not favourable. Starting with a drone simulator is highly advisable before you even attempt to fly your new and possibly expensive drone.

Zephyr Sim is a leading Drone Simulator company and specializes is professional pilot training software. Zephyr currently supports popular gaming consoles like X-Box, Playstation and multiple radio controllers. High resolution graphics and simulated flight conditions such as wind effects, ground effects and crashes, provide total immersion to create an authentic flying experience.

You can download a free trial and upgrade to higher specifications at any time https://zephyr-sim.com/register/

Taking Your First Flight

While you are learning always maintain a maximum 25 metre height and a circumference radius of 20 metres and never go beyond this flight zone. If the drone gets away from you – never panic, and always activate the return to home function and let the drone return. Keeping the drone in this tight space will also teach you valuable drone control. Always use gentle fluid movements on the remote controller’s sticks – do not use jerky movements.

TIP: If you lose control of the drone or your landing results in an uncontrollable crash – de-arm the motors immediately before the propellers hit an object or ground – This will reduce damage to the drone’s motors.

1. Once you are confident in the drone’s calibration ensure the flight mode is set to GPS Mode and launch the drone to a maximum of 25 metres and let it hover – use the remote controller sticks and gently rotate the drone clockwise and anticlockwise.
2. Slowly move the drone forward 10 metres and then return the drone backwards to the original location – repeat this 10 times.
3. Next move the drone forward to 10 metres and stop – then rotate the drone around facing you and return the drone 10 metres– repeat this 10 times.
4. Fly the drone out to the perimeter of the 20 meter circumference and fly the drone in a clockwise square pattern around you, and then reverse to a counter clock wise square pattern – repeat this a number of times until you are comfortable.
5. Move the drone forward and move side to side to get the feeling for forward movement while moving the drone in different directions. Once out to the perimeter turn the drone around and return towards yourself – Be aware when the drone is facing you the stick movement will be the opposite of when the drone is moving away from you (Spend time on this – as it is one of the hardest things to grasp when learning)
6. If you are comfortable at this stage, you can then turn the square pattern into an oval and using gentle stick control – fly the drone clockwise and anti-clockwise using very fluid motions. This exercise will improve your stick control and drone coordination.

Landing the drone is another very important skill to learn and intermittently during the exercises land the drone and practice take off. When landing your drone reduce the height very slowly and always stop the drone at eye level – make sure it is behaving normally and then gently lower the drone and quickly de-arm the motors as soon as it touches the landing pad.

You should spend at least 5-6 batteries in GPS flight time before becoming familiar with the Atti mode. When using this mode make sure you try it at a safe height of 25-30 metres and it is important to fully understand the drones flight characteristics without the aid of GPS. You need to become familiar with this mode should the GPS stop functioning due to a magnetic disturbance or interference. If the drone ever loses control, quickly switch to Atti mode and manually take control of the drone and land it as soon as possible.

There are no secrets to flying a drone – just take it slow, be methodical, Don’t Panic and practice-practice – practice.

Learning to Drop Baits

When you add weight to the drone it will totally change the flight characteristics -make sure you are confident enough flying the drone before attempting the bait drop. Do not attempt to carry more than half a kilo while you are learning.

WARNING: Always use at least 6-10 batteries in flight time before you even attempt a bait lift

• The main flying mode is GPS mode and never fly at full speed when taking baits out to avoid reel over wind. It is important to use long bait rigs of 4.5 – 6 plus meters to reduce pendulum effect.

Connecting the bait rig

• When using Electronic release mechanisms – open the bait release and attach the rig via a drop loop of no less than 1 meter to the crafts electronic bait release and then close the release.
• When using a tension release mechanism – simply clip the drop loop to the tension point and always use the same diameter line for connecting. If you change the line diameter you will change the tension on the release clip.
• Ensure the reel bail is open for spinning reels and if you are using an overhead reel, bring the drag setting down to a light level, but be careful not to go too far as you can over spool the reel.
• Make sure the line from the rod to the drone is kept lower than the drone and away from the motors – Never hook rigs to the drone whilst in flight. It is handy to have another person assisting the pilot to hold the rig line down and away from the drone’s propellers.
• When lifting the baits, keep in mind to rise the craft in a controlled pace and be ready to compensate power for the additional weight. Once the rig is off the ground take the drone to a minimum height of 25metres. Slowly move the craft forward at a safe speed to the desired drop zone and always use gently fluid movements on the sticks. The pilot needs to be communicating with the person assisting in case the line snags when using an electronic bait release – if the line should snag or bind quickly release the bait immediately and gain altitude. Tension release clips are much safer as they will simply release automatically in the event of a line snag.

WARNING: Immediately drop the bait if the craft wants to return due to low battery.

CAUTION: When taking baits out the craft will naturally want to descend a bit initially – compensate by increasing altitude whilst flying out the bait.

Bait Lift Guide

For safety only lift 80% of the drones specified carrying capacity

Dropping the Bait

Electronic bait release

• Always try to release the sticks slowly when approaching the drop zone and come to a full stop and then press button the button to release the bait. Practice this function over land before flying a bait out.
• Once you have dropped the bait press the Return to home function to give you time to bring the excess line in and set the sinker.

Mechanical tension release

• Keep the drone flying at same speed and when you are at the drop zone simply flick the reel bail over or tighten the drag on an overhead reel – do not slow the drone down.
• Once you have dropped the bait press the Return to home function to give you time to bring the excess line in and set the sinker.

Landing the Drone

• Once you have reeled in the excess line and the fishing rod is in the holder, switch from Return to home function to GPS mode and safely land the drone. Manually landing the drone will save valuable battery power.

WARNING: Always wait until the props have completely stopped spinning before approaching the drone. Once landed turn the drone off and then the controller.

Check the battery level and switch the drone off – Good luck and tight lines. 🙂

What is Drone Fishing?

Drone fishing is unique and in a lot of ways but very similar to balloon and kite fishing. With these fishing styles they all utilise a rig and bait delivery method rather than a casting action. Each of these fishing styles enables the delivery of the rig and bait out to distances of up to 500 metres. At these distances the angler can target much deeper water and larger fish, but as appealing as this is to many – it in turn creates a whole new set of challenges. The results from using a drone can dramatically increase the species you catch and the quantity and is way cheaper than buying and maintaining a boat.

A bit of History

Well to be honest the history of drone fishing is relatively short as really drone fishing is the future of fishing rather than the past… but the discovery of drone fishing seems to date back to a mere September 2015 when Derek Klingenberg caught a snack sized fish using his DJI Phantom. Although according to Popular Mechanics David Darg was the first person recorded catching a fish with a drone in 2013.

Going by the You Tube Account Name of “Farmer Derek Klingenberg” it seems that Derek is the first fisherman to record the success of fishing with a drone. His video has had 2,392,050 views!!! He actually snagged a fish with a line and hook tied to his drone and not a rod and reel. Farmer Derek said that he used a fake worm as bait, and it took around 10 minutes to land his fish. Using a line and hook attached to his drone, he then pulled the fish out of the water and Farmer Derek looks elated in his video at his catch.

Since then drone fishing has rapidly evolved with the production of waterproof drones specifically designed and built for fishing such as the Cuta-Copter EX1. For non-waterproof drones such as the DJI MAVIC and Phantom drones you can now buy high quality bait release clips such as the SkyClip and quality-built Drone Rods such as OANNES Drone Master Series.

How much to start drone fishing?

Drone Fishing does cost a little bit to get started, but the amount you spend is dependent upon how much you want to spend. A second hand DJI Phantom or DJI Mavic drone and a bait release clip like a SkyClip can cost anywhere between $300-$500.00. A purpose-built waterproof fishing drone like a Poseidon Pro or the Cuta-Copter EX1 can set you back anywhere from $1690.00 up to – $2800.00.

What Drones can be used?

When drone fishing started approximately 4 years ago many people started using the DJI Phantom drone and improvising crude bait release mechanisms for it – at this time the DJI Phantom was quite an expensive quadcopter to buy. With the rapid growth of drone fishing in South Africa and Australia, many new waterproof fishing drones were developed with Cuta-Copter being at the forefront of development. DJI Phantom and Mavic have also proved to be extremely stable platforms but lack the carrying capacity and waterproof specifications.

The most common non waterproof drones are:

DJI Phantom and DJI Mavic

When purchasing a non-waterproof drone such as the DJI Phantom and DJI Mavic you will also have to purchase a bait release mechanism. You then need to decide whether an electronic or mechanical version suits you best.

The most common waterproof fishing drones include:

Choosing the right drone for you

When choosing a drone many factors come into play such as what will it be used for predominately? Are you going to use it for Fishing only? Do you want to use it for taking high definition pictures and video? Or are you after something that does a bit of both? Each fishing drone has its own set of specifications and features which needs to be taken into consideration when comparing the price. The amount you spend and the amount it can cost you ultimately depends on how much you want to spend.

Drone Fishing Bait release mechanisms

One of the most important facets of Drone Fishing to consider is the bait release mechanism and they are divided into 3 distinct variations – Electronic, Mechanical and Hybrid Electronic and Mechanical – Lets have a look at each one.

Electronic Bait Release

Electronic bait release modules can be used on non-waterproof drones such as DJI Phantom and DJI Mavic – usually they are attached to the drone via zip ties or O Rings. They have an actuator that opens and closes, and the switch is usually activated using a light sensor. The light sensor is fitted to the drone’s light, and the light can be turned off and on via a switch on the remote control. Most dedicated waterproof fishing drones come with an electronic bait release.

Caution: Great care must be taken when using an electronic bait release as any reel bind, line snag, or bird life can easily bring your drone crashing down. Electronic bait release modules also require power and charging.

Mechanical Bait Release

Mechanical or Tension releases are by far the safest option to use, as any reel bind, line snag or mishap the line will automatically release preventing your drone from crashing. There are a couple of options available – Adjustable and Pre-set tension. Adjustable tension release clips can cause the same issues as electronic release clips if they are over tensioned or if different drop loop diameter lines are used without readjusting the tension. Always use a standard diameter line when using an adjustable tension release and this will provide an extremely safer option over electronic bait releases.

Hybrid Bait Release

Hybrid versions are great but can be expensive and are much heavier than standard tension release clips, which can reduce the load carrying capacity and also reduce battery life.

Choosing the Fishing Rod for Drone Fishing

Traditional surf rods can be used for drone fishing – but they are not ideally suited to this style of fishing.  Essentially, surf rods are designed with a cast action and are usually between 12-14-foot-long to maximise casting distance and to also keep the line out from the shore break. Surf rods are not designed for long retrievals under load, and are generally limited in line and drag ratings, so they do not cope well with a hook up from large deep-water sea creatures. Offshore boat rods have the strength required to deal with the large retrievals under load and deal well with large monsters of the deep, but lack the height required to keep the line above the shore break.

Ideal attributes of a Drone Fishing rod are.

• Capable of handling large targeted fish of 20– 40lbs, with the strength to deal with the wanted or unwanted by-product monsters of the deep 60-130lbs
• Have the strength and resilience capable of regular large line retrievals of 300-450 metres under load
• Have the adequate height of a surf rod to keep the line above the shore break and without the need for casting action
• Utilise high end guide rings such as alconite and SIC to reduce abrasion and minimise and dissipate heat on large line retrievals
• Use appropriate guide frames such as Fuji K series to reduce line tangle
• Fitted with heavy duty, light weight and corrosion resistant reel seats to cater for matched reels specific to the task – enabling large spool capacities up to 400 – 600 metres and drag ratings up to 20 – 40kg’s

What fishing reels are best suited to drone fishing?

Overhead and spinning reels can be used dependent upon the whether the rod is designed for each type of fishing reel and have drag ratings of between 15-30kg species dependent. Importantly they must have adequate spool capacities of between 450-650 metres minimum – dependent of the type of line used and line diameter.

Overhead

Overhead reels perfectly suited with adequate line capacities include, Daiwa Seaborg 800MJ and 1200MJ, Shimano Talica TAC50II, Shimano Talica 16 and 25, Shimano Speedmaster 16, 20, Shimano Tyrnos 20 and 30, PENN International INT50VISW and INT70VIS, PENN Fathom FTH40NLD and FTH40NLDHS, Shimano Forcemaster 6000 and 9000 Electric reels, Shimano Beastmaster 9000 Gigamax, and Maxel Rage 90n.

Spinning

Spinning reels Suitable reels with adequate spool capacities include, Daiwa Saltiga Dogfight 8000DF and 8000DHF, Daiwa Saltiga Expedition 8000H-EXP, Shimano Stella SWC 14000 PG, PENN Slammer III 8500, 8500HS, 9500, 10,500 and PENN Spinfisher VI 9500 and 10,500, Shimano Baitrunner 14000 XTB.

The reel lists above are not exhaustive and there are many other reels that can be used and cater to your budget – so long as the spool capacity can handle your chosen line. Please feel free to comment and let us know what reels you use.

Selecting the line for Drone fishing

Drone fishing requires line that has a very small diameter ‘PE’ with high breaking strains to enable a greater quantity of line to be spooled to the reel. The smaller diameter line also reduces wind drag and when you consider the amount of line the average drone drop requires – a lower PE line it makes a massive difference.

PE Confusion and what it is exactly

PE is an acronym for Polyethylene and is a Japanese measurement/numbering system of line diameter ‘Area’, also known as ‘gouw’ and was originally used as a measurement for silk thread. As such, this is what has caused so much confusion as it is the measurement of diameter and not the breaking strain. PE ratings vary between manufacturers due to the different technologies employed, materials used, and the number of braid strands utilized.

One manufacturer may advertise a PE rating of 4 and note a break strain of 65lbs when another manufacturer may have a break strain 40 – 50lbs.

Braid

If you are using braid for drone fishing, look for one that has a low PE with matched break strain ratings relevant to the rod used. Drone fishing requires large line capacities of ideally 450-650 metres, so the smaller the diameter ‘PE’, will enable more line to be spooled on your reel.

Another important factor to consider when choosing a braid is its abrasion resistance and quality. The braid should be silky smooth to limit reel bind and reduce heat on retrievals over large distances and always use a fluorocarbon or Mono shock leader

Mono or Fluorocarbon

Mono can be used effectively, is cheaper than braid and fluorocarbon, but by far the better option is to use a fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon has several advantages over mono such as, higher abrasion resistance and is less visible than mono. Another important factor is fluorocarbons generally have a thinner diameter than mono with the same break strain ratings – enabling larger spool capacity.

Improving Yield Potential

In the past the traditional ways to fish have been limited to casting from shore or using a boat and some people even used kites and balloons – wind direction dependent. The traditional surf fisherman also relied on the skill to read the surf to determine where the gutters and holes are to increase yield. The boatie has had the luxury of fish finders to improve their chances in deeper waters locating structure, but the cost of the boat, fuel and maintenance is expensive.  Drone fishing improves yield dramatically enabling the shore-based fisherman access to much deeper productive waters at a fraction of the cost of owning a boat. Most drones have cameras that can enable the drone fisherman to spot fish, bait balls, bottom structure and reefs- dramatically improving their chances.

TIP: The cunning drone fisherman use apps like Navionics which shows the depth of water, ocean floor structure and reef. The drone fisherman using an app like Navionics can dramatically increase the yield by as much as 50% and the annual fee is less than $40.00.

How to Setup a Drone Fishing Rig

One of the most important factors to understand is the Pendulum effect. Pendulum effect is created when a weight is suspended from a pivot point and the weight begins momentum. When a line is attached to a drone with the weight closer to the drone, it will create a greater Pendulum effect, resulting in the drone becoming highly unstable with the potential of line tangling around the drone – resulting in a catastrophic crash. Always ensure the weight is a minimum of 3.5 to 6 metres below the pivot point of the drone. The Cuta-Copter EX1 features an anti pendulum effect safety feature and enables shorter rigs to be used.

The Basic Drone Fishing Rig

A basic drone fishing rig is ideally 4.5 – 6 metres long and a simple rig comprises of the following starting at the main line and working down.

1. 3-way swivel to main line and a 1 metre drop loop attached to the side of the 3-way swivel – (Used to attach to the bait release on the drone)
2. 1.5 metre Fluro carbon joining the 3-way swivel to another 3-way swivel at the end
3. From the 3 way swivel your hooks can be connected and the hook setup is determined by the fish species being targeted with a maximum length of 30cm.
4. From the bottom of the 3-way swivel attach another 1.5 metres of lighter gauge Fluorocarbon or mono to the sinker – the sinkers you use are determined by a combination of factors including floor structure, current and wind.

This basic rig can be increased in length to include a second hook setup and the length can also be extended to suit the water column you are fishing.

TIP: Simple party balloons can also be used to lift the bait higher into the water column – we find the balloon inflated to the size of a tennis sized ball works best.

Preparing for a Bait Drop

Practice reduces costly mistakes

Many people who start drone fishing but have never flown a drone before, think they can just attach a bait and out she goes – this usually does not end well.  If you are starting out always practice flying the drone first and feel comfortable before even attempting to hook baits and drop over water. Where possible buy a cheaper drone for a $100 and master that first, and then transition to a more expensive drone. The amount of time you practice flying, and how disciplined your routine is will greatly ensure your success and dramatically reduce risk. Using a Pre-flight checklist will also greatly assist you – like the one at the end of this article.

Spare Parts

Always keep a spare set of propellers and always inspect the propellers pre-flight. Replace any propeller if there is any damage noted – regardless of how minimal the damage is. A propeller is far cheaper to replace than a drone.

Spare batteries are also important if you intend to start drone fishing. Most listed drone flying times are based on perfect conditions with no wind, hover mode and no additional weight – add the weight of the line, rig and bait along with wind conditions and the battery flight times dramatically reduce.

Caution – Always Pay Attention to the drone and remote battery level indicators. Drones such as Cuta-Copter EX1 have a verbal warning when the battery discharges to a certain level.

Warning – Always monitor the drones height, this is as important as the battery levels and maintain a minimum height of 20-25 meters.

Note: Never over discharge lithium batteries as this will dramatically reduce the battery life’s expectancy and if for any reason your battery swells discard it immediately.

Safety First

It is very important to ensure you are legally allowed to fly your drone at the location and you obey the drone rules in your particular country. For Australia a very good app ‘Open Sky’ can be downloaded from https://www.casa.gov.au/drones/safety-apps

Also ensure you read the drone safety rules and complete the quiz https://www.casa.gov.au/drones/rules/drone-safety-rules

Check the weather conditions

Ensure the wind speed and gusts do not exceed the wind rating of your drone – The higher the wind and wind direction will dramatically reduce the battery life – in addition the heavier the rig and bait will also reduce the drones battery life – Keep your eye on the drone and remote battery level indicators.

How to Drop Baits

Hooking the rig to the bait release mechanism

We always use a line attached to the top swivel with a simple loop tied at the end – this loop is used to connect the rig to the bait release. It is important to note that when you are using tension release clips the line diameter can dramatically change the tension setting.

Important: Always use the same diameter line for your drop loops

Caution: Never exceed the drones carrying capacity – for safety never exceed 80% of the manufacturers stated lift rating.

Once the drop loop is attached to the drone’s bait release mechanism, we lay the rig out and ensure that enough line is released from the reel to the drone. If you are using a spinning reel have someone release/open the reel bail, or if an overhead reel is used lever the drag down. An advantage of using overhead reels is the ratchet – the clicking noise can aid the drone pilot as an additional sensory aid to warn of reel bind or line snag. Using the ratchet in this way will increase wear and tear but it is extremely helpful. Using a high quality reel lubricant like REELX can greatly reduce friction and wear.

Have someone hold the line to the drone down to keep clear of the propellers and slowly take the drone upwards to a height of 20 metres and ensure the drone is behaving normally – gently take the drone out and increase the speed – ‘Not maximum speed’ whilst the pilot or second person watches the reel and line spooling out in case of a reel bind or jam. Communication between the drone pilot and the person assisting is paramount – Use simple words like – Ready for launch, Bait released, Reel Jam etc

Releasing the bait

The methods for deploying the bait depend on whether you are using an electronic or mechanical/tension release clip.

Electronic Release

Always be gentle when you take off and move forward and build up speed gradually. All drones will reduce height when moving forward with weight attached so compensate for this and watch your drones height.

When using an electronic bait release and you are approaching the drop zone, gently bring the drone to a hover and activate the release by selecting the appropriate button or toggle switch – use the drones camera to ensure successful deployment and then select the return to home mode which will bring your drone back safely.

Warning: When flying your drone always use gentle/fluid movements – Never stop the drone suddenly or use jerky movements as this can increase the pendulum effect.

Mechanical release

When using a mechanical tension release be very gentle when you take off and build up speed gradually. All drones will reduce height when moving forward with weight attached so compensate for this and watch your drones height. Maintain a medium to high speed – Not top speed and never slow the drone down.

Once you have reached your drop zone simply close the reel bail and the sudden force will release the bait. Set the drones return to home function.

Caution: Never return the drone with the line attached or try to go backwards. If due to emergency always release the bait and abort the run – drone preservation is the utmost importance. 

Adjusting Line tension

As soon as the drone has dropped the bait successfully use the return to home function and quickly reel in the excess line and try to keep the line out of the breakers. Set the line tension so the sinker anchors and keeps the line above the shore break.

When the drone returns and lands safely, turn the drone off first and then the remote. Pat yourself on the back – Job Done – Drone is safe – Baits out – Get Fishing!

Prior to flight

⃝           Check you are legally allowed to fly at the chosen location and ensure you conform to the relevant drone laws of your country and state

⃝           Check the weather conditions – Ensure wind speeds do not exceed the drone’s parameters

⃝           Ensure the Drones APP is up to date

⃝           Check the propellers are in good condition – are not chipped or cracked etc.

⃝           Calibrate The drones compass as per directions – Always re-calibrate the drone if you have moved locations.

Start up and Take off

⃝           Ensure successful pairing of the App to the drone

⃝           Check the drone battery level indicator and remote controller battery levels

⃝           Check the GPS signal and make sure that enough satellites have been located

⃝           Engage and start the drone motors

⃝           Hover the drone at no more than 10 metres for 10 seconds to ensure the drone is behaving normally and responding correctly – if not, land the drone and re- calibrate the drone’s compass

After flight checks and maintenance

⃝           Even if you did not land the quadcopter in water, salty air and spray can cause corrosive actions. Where possible, clean the drone directly after use or within 2 hours.

⃝           Remove the Quadcopter battery and place it in fire- proof pouch or container and store in a cool environment.

⃝           Carefully inspect all propellers, if a propeller is damaged (Even slightly damaged) – replace the propeller immediately. Do not attempt to fly the aircraft with a damaged propeller as this can cause the aircrafts stability to deteriorate or become unmanageable, resulting in the potential loss of the drone and/or causing personal injury.

Drone Fishing is great fun, but your drone needs to be looked after and maintained the same way you would look after and clean your fishing gear and boat. Drone fishing in harsh marine environments affect drones regardless of whether they are waterproof or not, and simple maintenance and preventative care will keep your drone used for fishing running at optimum performance and improve its overall life span.

The preventative maintenance listed below is something you should not just consider doing – It is essential if you are using your drone for fishing.

General Care and Maintenance

After use, carefully inspect all propellers and if a propeller is damaged, even slightly – replace it immediately. Do not attempt to fly a drone with a damaged propeller as this can cause the aircrafts stability to deteriorate or become unmanageable, resulting in the potential loss of the drone and/or cause personal injury.

Whenever using your drone in a salty environment always wipe down your drone thoroughly. If it is a water-proof fishing drone, remove the propellers and wash down the drone with fresh water. Submerge the motors momentarily in fresh water and wipe down the drone and motors – if you have an air gun blow the motors out gently – This should be done within 2 hours of using the drone before crystallization occurs and lightly spray the motors with Corrosion X.

Fishing Drone Maintenance – Preventative

Seals

All waterproof fishing drones such as Cuta Copter EX1, Poseidon Pro and Swellpro Splashdrone 3+ utilize seals that waterproof the battery compartments. These seals need to be protected and nourished as they will dry out and subsequently the waterproof seal will fail. Simply applying a small amount of OANNES Silicone Grease to these membranes will not only improve the waterproofing efficiency, it will keep the seals supple and prevent drying out. OANNES Silicone grease has a low dielectric value with high lubricity value – Never use petroleum jelly or any other products on your fishing drone.

Electronics

All drones have electronics, and electronics hate water, especially salty water. High quality waterproof fishing drones such as the Cuta Copter EX1 have many of its internal electronics sealed in a dielectric resin preventing water intrusion and corrosion – but many drones for fishing do not have his level of protection. Dielectric simply means a very poor conductor of electric current, which is essential when using products to protect electrical circuit boards and connections. Never use a product that does not have a low dielectric value. In addition, corrosion reducing sprays for drones should have a high lubricity value and must be safe to use on plastics, rubber and neoprene seals.

Corrosion X spray is a Paraffin based product that utilizes Polar bonding which does far more than merely slow down the corrosion process – it kills rust and corrosion and penetrates and lubricates. Corrosion X has an extremely low dielectric value and can be used on electrical components up to 39,000 volts! Corrosion X can be applied on wet and already corroded surfaces and can even bring back circuit boards and electronics that have been affected by water. It has a lubrication value of 0.4, which is 3 times better than motor oil.

Simply spray all internal electrical components of the waterproof drone for fishing, including the circuit boards with Corrosion X – this will provide an insurance should water get into the fishing drones housing – A light spray is all that is needed – do not drown it.

Battery Safety and Care

• DO NOT leave batteries in full charge state when not in use
• DO NOT leave on low charge when not in use
• ALWAYS store batteries at 3.8V per cell
• ALWAYS store LiPo batteries in a fire-proof pouch and in a cool environment
• Treat battery terminals occasionally with high quality anti corrosion spray such as CorrosionX
• TREAT all the wires at the point they go into the battery so the corrosion formula can protect the terminals inside the battery
• TREAT the copper plugs on the XT 60 or 90 yellow plug and Switch terminal and plug
• ALWAYS treat the battery and contacts after saltwater exposure

Spray Corrosion X on the LiPo batteries terminals and into the batteries casing where the wires are – this will provide waterproofing properties to the battery.  When not in use always store the LiPo batteries in a fire-proof pouch and store them in a cool environment. If a LiPo battery swells – discard it immediately.

Remote Controller

Corrosion X can also be sprayed on the internal components and electrical boards to add additional layer of protection and waterproofing insurance.

OANNES Silicone Grease, Corrosion X spray and Speed X can be purchased separately or purchased as a Maintenance package at www.ultimatedronefishing.com. The added protection for price is low and it will provide incredible insurance for your fishing drone. While you are visiting our website check out the amazing Reel X for your fishing reels! Call us anytime on 1300 DROP IT or drop us an email