Is this the future of fishing? Is it fair? Is it cheating? Let the debates begin!
You’ve got to feel sorry for the fish that comes face-to-face with the PowerRay submersible drone. Unveiled at CES this year (but not yet on sale), the drone is designed to “redefine recreational fishing,” says creator PowerVision. Well, the basics will stay the same: the fish are in the water, you’re on the land. But the PowerRay drone will use sonar and LED lures to track down and attract the fish for you, and even film them being caught in 4K according to the verge.com.
PowerVision claims the drone’s sonar can detect fish up to 120-feet away, while the bot itself can dive up to 30 meter downs. A Wi-Fi connection sends data, video, and images up to distances of 210-feet to an iOS and Android app, and operators can choose to receive alerts when something’s nearby. Just take a nap, and let your drone find the fish for you.
A “precision remote bait drop” can be used to attract nearby fish and an underwater 4K camera captures the action. PowerVision even says you can view live footage through a VR headset for a first-person view experience (should have called it fish person view, amirite?) and control the drone’s movements by tilting your head.
All this sounds a lot like over-promising, but PowerVision does at least have some prior experience in ambitious drone designs. The company previously unveiled the PowerEgg drone which folds up its legs and propellers to form a smooth, 2-kilogram egg. First impressions of the PowerEgg have been promising, but we’ve yet to see a full review that really rakes over the drone’s promised functionality. The PowerRay looks like an exciting (if niche) bit of kit, but next, we need to see it in the water.
