FIFISH V-EVO underwater drone

Explore a dive site from the surface, then capture the underwater experience from another perspective. This Black Friday, save up to US$140 on FIFISH V-EVO packages.

Many divers will be familiar with underwater imaging, but the use of personal photo and video equipment comes with limitations.

No matter how good the camera – or how long the selfie stick – it will only ever record from the diver’s point of view. Filming a group means one diver will need to act as the photographer or videographer, and there are limits to how fast they can swim, or move up and down in the water.

A remotely operated camera, however, can film all the divers in the group, with far fewer limitations on its movement, whether that be swimming across a rocky sea bed, descending alongside a reef or swimming through open water.

QYSEA develops FIFISH underwater drones for exploration, imaging and inspection, and the FIFISH V-EVO can bring these additional perspectives to any dive trip.

Operated from the surface through a tether and live video feed, the FIFISH V-EVO lets users take a look at a site before entering the water and, with a surface operator at the controls, capture footage during the dive.

Before the dive – scout the site

Woman carrying the portable FIFISH V-EVO to a potential dive site

Unfamiliar dive sites can cause a range of issues for those who wish to dive them, and may place unnecessary limits on a dive plan which – as all divers should know – should not be substantially altered underwater.

Using the exploratory V-EVO drone, however, divers can obtain a live visual preview of the area they intend to explore, before they even get in the water.

From a suitable boat or shore location, the operator can manoeuvre the drone to observe underwater features and identify points of interest or potential hazards before getting in the water.

Being able to watch a live preview of the dive will help team members decide how to plan their dive, including what to explore – or avoid – while giving photographers and videographers an overview of what they can expect to capture on film.

During the dive – capture the dive

Operator controlling a FIFISH V-EVO from a kayak — A view from above is only the beginning. Discover what lies beneath with FIFISH V-EVO

From the first look at a site to footage of the dive itself, V-EVO gives dive teams another way to explore, compose and record.

Once the divers have entered the water, an operator remains at the surface to control V-EVO and manage its tether, creating a camera position independent of the divers’ movements.

Rather than recording only what is in the immediate vicinity of a hand-held or body-mounted camera, the operator can frame the divers together with the surrounding underwater landscape to provide a genuine third-person perspective on the dive.

V-EVO records in 4K at 60 frames per second, with 360° omnidirectional movement, enabling its operator to reposition, tilt and rotate the drone for different compositions – from a view overlooking the dive site to closer shots of divers and wildlife moving through the water.

The camera has a 166° field of view (FOV) to keep a wide perspective of the surrounding seascape in frame, while LED lighting with a combined output of 5,000 lumens illuminates nearby subjects in darker surroundings.

Reef fish and coral filmed with FIFISH V-EVO — Captured with FIFISH V-EVO

An inbuilt ‘AI Vision Lock’ helps the surface operator keep a selected subject in view while adjusting the drone’s position and filming angle, enabling the operator to remain in control of the shot and respond to the changing scene.

V-EVO has a maximum operating depth and tether length of 100m, making it suitable for shallow recreational dives or more demanding technical exploration straight out of the box.

In addition to the standard model of drone, the FIFISH V-EVO is also available with a robotic arm, which can assist with retrieving items accidentally dropped underwater, subject to operating conditions and the product’s handling limits.

Choose your V-EVO package

FIFISH V-EVO robotic arm retrieving a small object underwater

The FIFISH V-EVO is available in two versions – the Standard Pack, which provides the core setup for underwater observation and filming, and the Arm Pack, which offers the same filming capabilities but adds a robotic arm for gripping and retrieval tasks.

For buyers primarily interested in scouting and filming, the Standard Pack is the starting point. The Arm Pack is an option for those who also want to carry out practical underwater tasks.