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.

Topics

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…

Mobile

4 simple pieces of tech that helped me run my first marathon

Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar displaying pace information.

The fitness world is littered with opportunities to buy tech aimed at enhancing your physical performance. No matter your sport of choice or personal goals, there's a deep rabbit hole you can go down. It'll cost plenty of money, but the gains can be marginal -- and can honestly just be a distraction from what you should actually be focused on. Running is certainly susceptible to this.

A few months ago, I ran my first-ever marathon. It was an incredible accomplishment I had no idea I'd ever be able to reach, and it's now going to be the first of many I run in my lifetime. And despite my deep-rooted history in tech, and the endless opportunities for being baited into gearing myself up with every last product to help me get through the marathon, I went with a rather simple approach.

Emerging Tech

This bracelet helps you fall asleep faster and sleep longer

woman-in-bed-wearing-twilight-apollo-on-ankle

This content was produced in partnership with Apollo Neuroscience.
Have you been struggling to get the recommended seven hours of sleep? It's always frustrating when you get in bed at a reasonable time, then toss and turn for a hours before you actually sleep. The quality of that sleep is important too. If you're waking up multiple times during the night, you're likely not getting the quality REM cycle sleep that truly rejuvenates your body. If traditional remedies like herbal teas and noise machines just aren't helping, maybe it's time to try a modern solution. Enter the Apollo wearable.

Now we understand being a little skeptical. How can a bracelet on your wrist or ankle affect your sleep patterns? Certainly the answer to a better night's sleep can't be so simple. We considered these same things when we first heard of it. We'll dive deeper into the science behind the Apollo wearable, but suffice it to say that many people have experienced deeper, uninterrupted sleep while wearing one.
A non-conventional approach to better sleep

Deals

The 11 best Father’s Day deals that you can get for Sunday

Data from a workout showing on the screen of the Apple Watch Series 8.

Father's Day is fast approaching and there's still time to buy your beloved Dad a sweet new device to show him how much you love him. That's why we've rounded up the ten best Father's Day tech deals going on right now. There's something for most budgets here, including if you're able to spend a lot on your loved one. Read on while we take you through the highlights and remember to order fast so you don't miss out on the big day.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 -- $200, was $230

While it's the Plus version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 that features in our look at the best tablets, the standard variety is still worth checking out. Saving your Dad the need to dig out their laptop or squint at a small phone screen, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 offers a large 10.5-inch LCD display and all the useful features you would expect. 128GB of storage means plenty of room for all your Dad's favorite apps as well as games too. A long-lasting battery and fast charging save him the need for a power source too often too.