The Best Waterproof Drones Available in 2021

Last updated: 1st January 2021
SwellPRO Splash Drone 3+

SwellPRO Splash Drone 3+

IDEAFLY Poseidon Pro

IDEAFLY Poseidon Pro

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SwellPRO Spry

SwellPRO Spry

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For a long time, the greatest fear of most drone pilots was the chance of their precious aircraft falling into the water.

Thankfully, with the invention of waterproof drones, you can not only fly your drone in the wind and the rain but even land it in the water.

There are a lot of drones that claim that they are waterproof, but the results speak differently. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best waterproof options together in this post.

A lot of drones are only water-resistant, meaning that they can withstand rain and moisture. But, you can’t submerge these drones safely.

The Best Waterproof Drones

Truly waterproof drones come with a slightly higher price tag but usually offer additional features that are not available on entry-level drones.

We have listed them starting with the one we like the most, but that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily the one just right for you.

There are also some water-resistant drones that we liked and come in at a slightly lower price. We’ve included them later in this list so that you can consider them — and whether you truly need a fully waterproof drone.

If you do, there’s plenty of great options below.

We may receive compensation on qualifying purchases via our links. This does not change how we review items. For more information, please read our affiliate disclosure.

This exceptional drone comes with payload release functionality — it can transport & drop up to 1kg of items.

SwellPRO Splash Drone 3+
  • Flight Time: ~22 minutes
  • Charge Time: ~90 minutes
  • Range: 1600m / 5250ft
  • Remote Controller: WiFi 5.4GHz (included in the set)
  • Camera: 90° adjustable 4K / 13MP camera
  • Live Video Transmission Range: 1600m / 5250ft
  • Weight: 1447 g / 51.04 oz
  • Carry Capacity: 1000g / 35.27 oz
  • Working Temperature: -10°C to 40°C
  • Rated for outdoor use

The Splash Drone 3+ is the most dedicated drone when it comes to anyone’s water-bound needs.

Whilst it’s certainly not budget-friendly, it is definitely one of the best waterproof drones currently available.

Every drone can land into water…but usually only once. This one can not only land in water repeatedly, but can even take off from water’s surface.

It can even carry a payload of up to 1kg with it, perfect for life vests, fishing bait and more.

The robust build and durable blades give remarkable agility in winds up to 12 m/s (26 mph).

It is made to be sturdy and painted to be visible. The same way it can withstand winds, it will also take on any waves in the water it lands. While it has an option to auto-land, even a necessary manual landing will not damage the drone.

As far as other features go, it has everything you would expect from a drone of this price range.

There is a 4K camera that can take UHD videos in 24 fps. If you lower the settings to 2K, you will get 30 fps, and 60fps on FHD or 1080p. The camera that extends from the bottom has a wide lens that takes in a lot of light and can be used for aerial shots even in murky conditions.

The AI inside the drone is quite spectacular, combining multiple pre-orders and capable of working autonomously. It can follow a predetermined flight path or follow the remote and its holder.

+ Pros

+ Completely waterproof up to 3ft
+ Excellent 4K camera
+ Payload release up to 1kg
+ Agile and maneuverable
+ Very sturdy

- Cons

- Somewhat bulky
- Not the best app

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A strong wind-proof and waterproof drone that is buoyant for when landing on water.

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IDEAFLY Poseidon Pro
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  • Flight Time: ~22 minutes
  • Charge Time: ~120 minutes
  • Range: 900m / 2952ft
  • Remote Controller: WiFi 5.4GHz (included in the set)
  • Camera: 1080p FPV camera
  • Live Video Transmission Range: 850m / 2788ft
  • Weight: 2300 g / 5.07lbs
  • Carry Capacity: 1500g / 3.3lbs
  • Working Temperature: -10°C ~ 50°C
  • Rated for outdoor use

If you prefer calm lake waters rather than the wide ocean for your fishing, this will probably become your favorite drone. 

The Poseidon Pro can carry up to 1.5kg (3.3lbs) of cargo for more than 20 minutes and drop it on command from any position.

This is enough to drop considerable amounts of bait where and when you need it. Or…it could carry four beer cans and deliver them to where you need them. 

The drone is waterproof and windproof, but it can’t be submerged. It is tested to be buoyant, and the wide design makes it easy to spot if it falls into the water. In all cases, it would be better to keep it in calm waters and retrieve it relatively quickly after landing.

As far as the flying goes, the IDEAFLY has remarkable speed and agility. The controller feels responsive and very precise in headless mode. 

The GPS stabilization fixes all of the other issues novice drone pilots might have. The AI will keep the drone stable in its GPS coordinates in winds up to 12 m/s (26 mph).

The camera is not remarkable, being only 1080p HD with a relatively small chip. But, it is enough to give you an FPV perspective through your controller with enough detail for everything you need. 

+ Pros

+ Buoyant for up to 3 hours
+ Excellent agility
+ Large carrying capacity

- Cons

- Bulky
- Not submergible
- Camera is only 1080p

A tough little cookie. Fast, durable, waterproof and lots of great features.

SwellPRO Spry
  • Flight Time: ~16 minutes
  • Charge Time: ~90 minutes
  • Range: 800m / 2625ft
  • Remote Controller: WiFi 5.4GHz (included in the set)
  • Camera: 4K camera / 1/2.3”CMOS, 12M
  • Live Video Transmission Range: 500m / 1640ft
  • Weight: 758 g / 26.73 oz
  • Carry Capacity: N/A
  • Working Temperature: -10°C ~ 40°C
  • Rated for outdoor use

Originally a successful Kickstarter project, this compact model from Swellpro — the Spry — is made for those that want their drone to be completely waterproof but don’t need extended flight time and strength.

If you like taking nice drone videos near or over water, this could be the drone for you.

While not exactly small, weighing around 1.6 pounds, this drone can be easily carried in one hand. And the very sturdy design means that dropping it isn’t an issue.

The SwellPro Spry is entirely waterproof and buoyant. Tests guarantee that it will survive up to 3ft underwater for at least 30 minutes without a scratch. The enclosed camera can even take a video while the drone is the surface.

The rest of the specs are also excellent, comparable to other drones in the same price range. The camera can shoot in 4K, although better stabilization and frame rate is achieved at lower resolutions.

The only real difference between the Spry and its big brother the Splash is the range. This drone has precisely half the range of the Splash 3+ and can fly for five minutes less.

While in the air, the agility of the drones is somewhat similar, with the Spry being faster on side drifts and in headless mode.

+ Pros

+ Waterproof tested for 30 minutes under 3ft
+ Compact
+ Excellent camera
+ Very sturdy

- Cons

- Low flight time for size
- Some connection issues (resolved with updated firmware)

This amazingly cheap waterproof drone shows that you don’t need to pay a high price to sail on the seas.

Goolsky JJRC H31
  • Flight Time: ~8 minutes
  • Charge Time: ~60 minutes
  • Range: 70m / 230ft
  • Remote Controller: 4C radio controller (included)
  • Camera: No Camera
  • Live Video Transmission Range: N/A
  • Weight: 64g / 2.2oz
  • Carry Capacity: N/A
  • Working Temperature: 6°C ~ 40°C
  • Rated for outdoor use

There are two approaches when making a waterproof drone. Some opt to make an expensive drone that will have all of the bells and whistles. Goolsky did the opposite and opted to make a simple toy drone that is just for fun but will not suffer from falling into your pool or in a lake.

This is not a GPS drone and it will not hold its position in windy conditions. Instead, it uses internal gyros to keep the drone stable and easy to fly in headless mode. 

The ‘’return home” function will move the drone back to the controller and land slowly. It is not as precise as a GPS model but makes your drone piloting easier.

There is no camera inside, so you will need to rely on visual confirmation when flying.

If you’re looking for a cool toy to play with in the pool or at a bigger area of water, the Goolsky JJRC-H31 could be it.

+ Pros

+ Light and portable
+ Very agile
+ Can drive through water
+ Can take off from water

- Cons

- No camera
- Small range
- Non-premium feel
- Short battery life

A 4K drone with a 12MP camera that folds up for handy portability. It’s water-resistant, too!

Autel Robotics EVO
  • Flight Time: ~30 minutes
  • Charge Time: ~210 minutes
  • Range: 7050m / 4.4 miles
  • Remote Controller: WiFi 2.4GHz (included in the set)
  • Camera: 3-axis gimbal 4K 60fps camera with 12MP
  • Live Video Transmission Range: 7000m / 4.3 miles
  • Weight: 863g / 1.9lbs
  • Carry Capacity: N/A
  • Working Temperature: 0°C ~ 40°C
  • Rated for outdoor use

On its own, the EVO is one of the best drones in its class to hit the market. It is fast, sturdy, and has a lot of features that will entice every drone pilot.

Unlike almost every drone on this level, the EVO has foldable wings that can make the whole package very compact and easy to carry around. If you don’t like lugging a hard case with you, you can put it in your backpack.

The camera on this thing is impressive, allowing for a 4K 60fps video. While the video gets much better stabilization when you drop the resolution, the 3-axis gimbal will keep the footage very calm without the need for editing.

The AR-EVO is both water-resistant and splash-proof. You will not want to land it in water, but even dropping a bucket of water on it will do no harm.

Combined with a powerful motor and high-quality blades, this little drone can easily fly in some really nasty weather.

Finally, the most fantastic feature of this drone is the range of the controller. Both the video feed and the control work up to 4.3 miles. To get that, though, you will need both your quad and your controller to have satellite access.

+ Pros

+ Follow Me modes are great for taking awesome looking shots autonomously
+ Stunning video quality thanks to the powerful 4K camera onboard
+ Sensors and safety features like obstacle avoidance keep your drone and others around you safe

- Cons

- Can be tricky for beginners to pick up straight away

This quadcopter drone has an excellent 25-minute battery life and 4K HD video recording.

Autel Robotics VOOCO X-Star
  • Flight Time: ~25 minutes
  • Charge Time: ~90 minutes
  • Range: 2000m / 6560ft
  • Remote Controller: WiFi 5.8GHz (included in the set)
  • Camera: 3-axis gimbal 4K camera with 12MP
  • Live Video Transmission Range: 1935m / 6349ft
  • Weight: 1420 g / 3.13lbs
  • Carry Capacity: 150g / 5.29oz
  • Working Temperature: 0°C ~ 40°C
  • Rated for outdoor use

The X-Star may look like some of the waterproof drones, but it will not survive being submerged. What it will survive are heavy winds and even a storm.

The strong 4K camera has a 3-axis gimbal, and it very stable, leaving you to take amazing aerial videos and photos from a significant height. The video feed range is more than a mile, with very little lag or choppy feed.

Flight with this drone is effortless and intuitive. The GPS will hold the drone in place even under heavy winds. In the right conditions, the drone is fast and very agile.

Finally, the options both in the app and on the dedicated controller will provide any drone pilot with a lot of possibilities for autonomous and pre-planned flight.

+ Pros

+ Follow Me works well, with lots of autonomous flight modes
+ Above-average flight time makes for more extended missions
+ 4K camera captures crisp, stunning footage
+ Water-resistant

- Cons

- No built-in collision avoidance

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An FPV drone for beginner pilots that features voice and gesture control at a rock-bottom price. 

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SNAPTAIN S5C
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  • Flight Time: 9 minutes (per battery)
  • Charge Time: ~90 minutes
  • Range: 80 meters
  • Remote Controller: controller with smartphone mount included
  • Camera: 720p HD / 0.3MP
  • Weight: 680g
  • Indoor and outdoor use

The SNAPTAIN S5C offers a variety of different features that you perhaps wouldn’t expect to see in such a budget-friendly offering.

The immersive piloting experience allows you to connect a VR headset and get a birds eye view of the world.

Despite having advanced capabilities like VR functionality, altitude hold, voice and gesture control, and a gravity sensor, this drone keeps things easy for beginners with basics like one button takeoff and landing.

Our favourite feature of this beginner UAV has to be the Trajectory option, where you can draw a flight path via the smartphone app and it will automatically follow it. This is normally only found in higher priced drones.

The main drawback with this product is that to get everything in to such an affordable option, the build quality is quite cheap. It doesn’t feel like a product that will survive any serious crashes.

+ Pros

+ VR compatibility
+ Voice & gesture control
+ Includes spare battery
+ Variety of flight features
+ LED lighting

- Cons

- Some reports of flying malfunctions, though believed to be fixed by firmware updates
- Cheap build quality

Quick Waterproof Drone Buyer’s Guide

The main thing to know when buying a waterproof drone is if the drone is fully waterproof, splash-proof, or simply water-resistant. 

A drone that might otherwise have amazing features and capabilities can become inoperable if misused. Submerging a water-resistant drone will damage the electronics and make the drone unable to fly.

But, if you focus on what the label says and do your research, you will learn to differentiate these drones easily. This way, you will ensure buying precisely what you want and need.

Why Might You Need a Waterproof Drone?

As is with most electronics, there are objective and subjective reasons for getting a drone.

Professional or passionate fisherman can use some of them to drop the bait. Photographers and cinematographers can use them to make their footage over water safely. Finally, these drones can provide significant assistance for anyone doing search & rescue.

Otherwise, there is no argument about these drones being exceptionally fun to fly. Using them to capture your family trip, hiking adventure, or kayaking drop, will give you some amazing pictures and videos to show everyone back home.

How Do Waterproof Drones Work?

Most splash-proof and water-resistant drones have their electronics encased in hard plastic that will shield the critical parts of the drone from any moisture or water particles.

But, waterproof drones need to have their entire body enclosed and sealed. These drones are generally heavier and bulkier because of the casing but will be both buoyant and submersible.

All moving parts will be further from the motor, making their propeller blades usually bigger and further apart from each other.

Finally, some drones are made to be simple and small, making it easy to encapsulate all the electronics in an isolated chamber, making the drone waterproof.

Different Levels in Water Protection

As waterproof drones are relatively new for the consumer market, there are no strict NEMA ratings on them. Generally, drones can be divided into being water-resistant, splash-proof, and waterproof.

Most waterproof drones would be closest to an IP67 waterproof rating — safe in water up to one meter deep for half an hour. Others will still be waterproof, but not submergible, which would be comparable with IP66. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions with your drone for exact ratings and capabilities.

Splash-proof and waterproof drones are not as durable and are more in the lines of IPX3 or IPX4. This will safeguard the drone from heavy rain, but not from falling into the water.

Conclusion

Spending a lot of time on the water shouldn’t mean leaving your drone at home. You can still have as much fun on the river, lake, sea, or ocean as if you are in dry areas. But, you need to be sure that your drone is waterproof.

Thankfully, most drones that are genuinely waterproof also have other useful features, such as an excellent camera or range. Some of these drones can even carry a payload due to their reliable motors.

With a bit of research and knowing exactly what you need from a drone, it would be easy to find a model to fit your needs. And as these are very sturdy drones, they will serve you for a long time.

SwellPRO Splash Drone 3+

SwellPRO Splash Drone 3+

This exceptional drone comes with payload release functionality — it can transport & drop up to 1kg of items.

IDEAFLY Poseidon Pro

IDEAFLY Poseidon Pro

A strong wind-proof and waterproof drone that is buoyant for when landing on water.

No products found.

SwellPRO Spry

SwellPRO Spry

A tough little cookie. Fast, durable, waterproof and lots of great features.