For the umpteenth time, we got confronted with the bad name of drones. We are talking to a new client who has had very bad experiences with underwater drones and does not want to do anything with them anymore…

They have bought a machine where nice promises of the selling party led to high expectations that afterwards were not fulfilled in any way. Of course, they share these bad experiences with their network and that is how the underwater drone gets a bad image.

Completely unjustified! Why unjustified? We are happy to tell you more below.

Our customers are spread across the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany and have often had to deal with a ‘bad’ underwater drone. Often underwater drones from the cheaper price class with a promising 4k camera that can make great images. Often promotional videos of these kinds of drones are published on YouTube in beautiful clear water of ‘Mediterranean’ quality.

That seems too good to be true!

YES, it is often too good to be true. In the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, the water is so turbid that visibility is very limited, which means that you can hardly see under water with a camera. On top of that, even if you have one metre of visibility under water, you are completely disoriented under water because you can only see one metre, or very often even less, in front of you and you really don’t know where you are under water!

We are of the opinion that an underwater drone only provides added value if it has the right tools such as sonar.

And what are you doing with an underwater drone if you can’t see anything and you don’t know where you are?

Of course, this can be a two-way street. Customers often have no idea what is needed underwater and this can be labelled as a ‘blind purchase’. But also, little information is given about this from companies selling the underwater drones! The images you see on the website are often of crystal clear water, something you can only see in a swimming pool in our area!

Many drones are offered at very low prices through web shops, often from Chinese manufacture for less than €1000 delivered to your home. This is of course dirt cheap… but what do you get for it? What can you do with it and how long do these products last? All these machines have a reasonable camera and that is it. Products are of very poor quality, have a very short technical lifespan and refuse to work after just a few uses.

“Looks nice in the cupboard, anyone can look at it”.

The other day we had a conversation with an employee of a public Search and Rescue team, who stated that he already owned a drone that was purchased only a year ago. It turned out to be a cheap drone with only a camera that they couldn’t use at all. In other words, it didn’t work for a single second.

The drone is therefore stored full-time in a cupboard, where only dust gets to it. A waste of investment, time and money.

Market leader. 

Even the market leader (manufacturer and sales) in the field of underwater drones is making a mess of things. They sell packages that the customer has to put together himself and make operational.  In these packages, the customer can also choose from various accessories that very often do not do what they promise. There is no physical service point in Europe, and the quality of each component is unacceptable for professional use.

As far as we are concerned, this is never the solution to ensure the proper deployment of a professional underwater drone.  Because in this way, even the good companies are threatened by a bad image of the products in this emerging market. Despite many different attempts to clear the name of the underwater drones, unfortunately we still hear far too often of bad experiences.

This slows down market developments and technology, so that underwater drones often do not get the chance they deserve.

The H2O Drones difference:

With us you buy the right machine and we will be happy to tell you more. Our core business is safety and quality under water. This is only possible if the drones are of good quality and the operators are well trained to get the optimal result from inspections. The quality of working under water is not only determined by a well-equipped underwater drone, but certainly also by the operator.

Without these two points of attention, inspections and rescues with underwater drones are not good enough and they often remain on the shelf as a misbuy… And this while underwater drones really are the future.

H2O Drones does give good service!

• We only sell you a machine if we are convinced that it will add value for you. No fairy tales!
• Together with you we put together the right machine for you in our sales and rental process.
• Always quick repair possibilities or a replacement machine!
• Course and training to help everyone get the most out of the underwater drone.
• In a consultation we look together at your ideal composition of the drone!
• If necessary, we will help you with inspections!

We like to show that it is possible. Drones are the future and nobody has to wait to get the future in their house.

Always be well and extensively advised when buying and always use an extensive demo on location. Never be led by beautiful videos because this often does not correspond with the situation in which you will work!

Underwater drones are crucial for underwater inspections and always work: SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND DATA-ORIENTED

In the years to come, underwater drones will be used more and more, so you will undoubtedly come across them. Do not let us make you think you have a bad experience, ask us what is best for you and your company!

Feel free to call us about the possibilities, we are happy to provide you with a free demo ! You can also follow us on LinkedIn to stay on top of our recent developments!