New drone flies through rain, lands in water, and even records under the surface

By Hillary K. Grigonis March 20, 2017

Drones tend to be fair-weather friends, but one United Kingdom-based company begs to differ. The HexH2O Pro V2 is a drone that can not only fly in the rain, but land, maneuver and even record on the water. The UAV is the latest flagship from the all-weather drone company, QuadH2O.

While the drone comes from a less well-known company, the latest flagship uses a number of parts supplied by the drone giant, DJI, including the 4K X3 camera and gimbal. QuadH2O also borrows from DJI’s Lightbridge II that allows over a two-mile (3.5 kilometer) video download range and control is through the DJI Go app. The HexH2O also uses the N3 flight controller, with safety features like return home fail-safes intact as well. Even the copter’s propulsion system are DJI’s E800 motors.

While the HexH2O borrows from DJI, the drone is capable of flying through rain and snow. A buoy system means the drone can also safety land in the water. While the drone isn’t a submarine, it can record underwater while the upper portion of the drone floats, with the buoyancy aids keeping the camera just below the water’s surface.

While a crash-landing in water isn’t as disastrous, the HexH20 uses a fairly rigid set of tech specs for the air too, using six rotors and a 30-minute flight time in windless conditions but the ability to fly in as much as 25 mph winds. The drone’s arms also fold for more compact storage.

The DJI-developed camera offers 4K footage and 12 megapixel stills and also uses DJI’s gimbal for steadier footage.

Releasing on March 31, the HexH2O, is the company’s most advanced drone yet, building on a handful of consumer and search and rescue based water-friendly drones. As the company’s new flagship, the drone will launch with a hefty $6,449 price tag.

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Hillary K. Grigonis

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…

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