Want to go fishing? There’s a Drone for that!

PowerVision, the UAV and robotics firm headquartered in Beijing, China, is nothing if not different. Their PowerEgg drone released last year and targeted at the consumer market was remarkable for its design. It was a quadcopter, yes, but not like any quadcopter you had seen before. Now comes the the PowerRay, an underwater drone targeted at enthusiasts that are hoping to make their next fishing trip a successful one.

The company announced that the PowerRay is available for pre-order at their European launch event last week. They also held a product demo at San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay last Thursday. At this event, PowerVision also unveiled their collaboration with the optics company ZEISS for the creation of solutions that combine PowerVision Robot innovations with ZEISS expertise.

PowerVision characterizes the PowerRay as “the ultimate robot for everyone who wants to explore the underwater world, whether it be for professional or recreational purposes. The device can be used for photographing and filming underwater or to visualise the progress of a water sports athlete, as well as being the perfect companion on any successful fishing trip”.

The product will be available in three packages; PowerRay Explorer, PowerRay Angler and PowerRay Wizard with shipment of the product in Europe is expected to begin at the end of May.

The PowerRay Wizard package will include the special VR ONE glasses PowerVision Edition. They have been created in collaboration with leading optics company ZEISS and will become available in a bundle with the PowerRay robot. The strategic partnership between PowerVision and ZEISS aims to develop solutions that combine exciting PowerVision Robot innovations with ZEISS expertise.

Here is a  quick run down of key features:

• The PowerRay robot can dive as deep as 30 meters underwater.
• The sonar system can detect fish up to 40 meters below the robot, making the total diving depth up to 70 meters with precision up to 10 centimeters.
• The internal Wi-Fi system allows transmission of images and data over distance up to 80 meters.
• Using the PowerRay Mobile App, users can view real-time transmitted photo or video captured by PowerRay’s integrated 4K UHD camera on any iOS or Android mobile devices, in addition to receiving fish-identifying images, underwater data and alerts. It also provides the real-time position of the PowerRay robot, select travel mode, speed, and light setting, and can operate the integrated 4K UHD camera functions for underwater photography and videography.
• PowerRay comes with an optional, remotely operated precision remote bait drop. Users can secure baits and operate the PowerRay robot to deliver the bait precisely to the desired location.
• For users who want an immersive First Person View experience, an option to control the robot through a wearable device, PowerRay also supports an optional PowerVision VR Goggle – allowing a thrilling underwater view through virtual reality technology.

“The underwater world is a fascinating place that now can be explored by everyone, whether it is for fishing purposes or because the user enjoys seeing the flora and fauna in detail below water level. PowerRay incorporates significant innovation that provides recreational fishing enthusiasts with valuable benefits, including a best-in-class camera, up to 4 hours operating time and the opportunity to personalise their PowerRay with several add-ons including the PowerSeeker and VR glasses. The collaboration with ZEISS is hugely valuable for the development of PowerVision’s add-on portfolio, it will broaden our offering for customers worldwide,” said Wally Zheng, CEO of PowerVision Technology Group.

Following is an outline of the respective products. You can pre-order the PowerRay here.

Lastly, here is a video promo courtesy of PowerVision.