About this project
Splash Drone a Waterproof Drone with Autonomous Features
$303,429
315
The Splash Drone is a fully waterproof quad copter, packed with useful features and capable of landing and floating on water. This drone is designed for the outdoor type who uses a GoPro camera to capture their adventure on water or land.
The Splash Drone comes in two flavors, traditional remote control or app based control to unlock its autonomous features.
Standard Remote Control Version: Allows you to fly in GPS assisted mode, attitude mode, or hover over one position to capture your action. It also has return to launch location and automatically lands at the flip of a switch.
App based Control: Your Android device allows you to use the Splash Drone's autonomous features with an app that lets your fly a mission on a set path of activate the Follow Me mode.
The Splash Drone's payload release mechanism is a blast! Drop water balloons or a bottle of water to your thirsty friends across the lake. It comes equipped with an emergency flare carrying system that can be used in real life situations.
As seen on:
I have been working on drones since 2007, way before most people knew what they were. Back then I was a video producer at a TV station, but my obsession with drones lead me to a career change. Along the way I've met some incredible people. After forming a team of like-minded drone geeks, we've successfully made and brought to market our own On Screen Display (OSD), a Long Range System (LRS) and other drone accessories.
We always knew that we wanted to make a waterproof drone, but it needed to be practical and easy to fly for first time users. So with our combination of experience in both manufacturing and drone design, we started working on a concept. After tons of feedback and several iterations, the Splash Drone was born. Above all, the most difficult challenge was developing the waterproof gimbal. We started with a clear dome, but quickly realized that we needed a gimbal that could touch the water, uncovered.
After many iterations, tests and sleepless nights, we have completed the tooling, injection mold and design of all the major components.
The Splash Drone is designed for filming your aquatic adventures, without the fear of loosing your drone.
- Fully integrated design
- Internal 5.8ghz 600mw video transmitter
- Self Tightening Carbon Fiber Props
- Payload Release Mechanism
- Emergency Flare Carrying System
- Autonomous Flight Controller
- Waterproof Gimbal
We have done the necessary work to make the Splash Drone reliable, easy and fun to film with. We have completed the injection mold, identified manufacturers that can supply the necessary part and built several prototypes that meet our quality standards.
At this point, all we need is your pledge to start manufacturing the Splash Drone. When we meet our goal, we will be able to make it available to everyone.
We are putting the future of the Splash Drone in your hands. Now it's up to you, to help make the Splash Drone a reality.
Frame features
- ABS thermoplastic polymer
- 500mm size
- External power switch
- Landing gear
- Top watertight gasket
- Four screw hatch compartment
Motor / Electronics
- Brushless 650kv motors (CE & RoHS)
- 40amp ESCs
- all in one Power Distribution Board
Propellers
- Carbon Fiber Construction
- 12 inch (1243)
- Self Tightening
Video Transmitter
- 5.8ghz 600mw - 32 channels
- Integrated Cloverleaf antenna
We've been working on improving the current manufacturing process to make it faster and more efficient. We've already completed most of the prototyping and have done intensive testing of the mold and all the components. The injection mold took 3 months to complete and it's now ready for production.
We've tested several camera gimbal configurations and are working on testing the latest prototype in fresh and salt water. The major challenges were waterproofing the giro stabilization board and the signal cables. We used the same concept as the GoPro dive box and are now testing it for endurance.
We use Open Source Hardware by 3DR.
FAQ:
Can I control the Splash Drone with an iPhone or iPad?
Yes, the Splash Drone can be controlled with the iDroneLink.
Risks and challenges
We have spent countless hours and many months designing the new frame and making improvements to the old injection mold. We’ve done everything possible to eliminate issues during manufacturing. We will always communicate with our community and be transparent about any issues that arise.
Ship date: We’ve added enough lead-time to account for possible unforeseen circumstances, to make sure that we are on schedule. We feel very confident that the delivery deadline will be met.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterQuestions about this project? Check out the FAQ