Underwater drones under 1,000 euros: the best models of 2026
An underwater drone does not have to cost €2,000. We show you which models you can get for under €1,000, what they can do, and when it pays to spend a little more.
The Chasing Dory is the best-known underwater drone under €1,000 · Image: manufacturer
If you want to buy a cheap underwater drone, you soon notice that the choice thins out below €1,000. The popular hobby models with a 4K camera and 100 metres of dive depth start at around €1,260. Below that, the big manufacturers offer only a few devices, and they are either small and limited to shallow water or built specifically for fishing. Here is an honest overview so you do not put your money into the wrong drone.
Key facts
For swimming lakes and holidays: Chasing Dory – small, light, approx. US$600, but only 15 m depth.
For anglers: Chasing F1 and F1 Pro – fish finder drones with GPS and a camera on a cable reel.
Our tip: If you want 4K and 100 m depth, pay a little extra and take the Chasing Gladius Mini S – or buy second-hand.
Transparency: We only award grades to classic underwater drones; they are based on the manufacturers’ specifications and our rating scheme. We have not yet tested these models in the water ourselves. Prices: as of October 2026, without guarantee. Dollar prices from manufacturer shops are roughly converted into euros and Swiss francs.
What you can expect under €1,000
At the moment, the €1,000 mark separates two worlds fairly clearly. Above it you find the hobby mid-range with 4K, long tethers and bright lights, such as the Gladius Mini S and the FIFISH V-EVO. Below it you find three kinds of offers:
Mini drones for shallow water: a few metres of tether, Full HD, little light. The best-known example is the Chasing Dory.
Fish finder drones: They travel on the water surface and lower a camera on an automatic cable reel. Made for anglers, not for free diving.
Used mid-range drones: Older or used 4K models sometimes drop below the €1,000 mark on the second-hand market.
Be careful with cheap offers from unknown brands on marketplaces: without a dealer in the German-speaking region, every repair and every warranty claim becomes difficult. That is why we stick to models from well-known manufacturers with traceable data sheets.
We do not rate the fish finder drones with our scheme because they work differently from classic underwater drones: the hull stays on the surface and only the camera dives. A grade comparison with the Dory or the Gladius would therefore be unfair.
The models in detail
Entry level
Chasing Dory
Image: manufacturer
Grade4.1adequate
Chasing’s smallest and cheapest underwater drone: 1.1 kilograms, 247 × 188 × 92 millimetres, controlled via an app over a Wi-Fi buoy. It dives to 15 metres, films in Full HD at 30 frames per second and has two lamps of 250 lumens each. The built-in battery lasts up to 60 minutes. The depth-hold function and the dual control, where one person drives and a second one films, are handy.
For calm, clear bays on holiday, the swimming lake or a look under the jetty, that is enough. For deeper lakes, murky water or currents, the Dory is too weak. All the details are in our review of the Chasing Dory.
Pros
Very light and compact
Cheapest way in
Depth hold, dual control
Cons
Only 15 m depth and tether
Full HD, little light
Hardly stocked by retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
The F1 is not a classic underwater drone but a fish finder drone. A hull with four thrusters travels across the water via an app, and a camera unit is lowered on an automatic cable reel – according to Chasing to a working depth of 20 metres; some retailers also stock a 28-metre version. The camera films in Full HD and has infrared night vision with about one metre of visibility in the dark. With GPS you can save fishing spots, drive to them automatically and bring the drone back at the push of a button.
The runtime is a strength: the 4,800 mAh battery lasts 4 to 6 hours according to the manufacturer and can be swapped. Chasing gives the Wi-Fi range as 30 metres. Chasing cites use on lakes, from boats and for ice fishing, at temperatures from −10 to 45 °C.
Pros
4–6 h runtime, swappable battery
GPS with automatic return
Infrared night vision
Cons
No free diving
Full HD only
Wi-Fi range only approx. 30 m
from approx. €685EU retail · USA: approx. US$600 · Switzerland: no information
For anglers
Chasing F1 Pro
Chasing now sells the successor to the F1 under the CanFish brand. The principle stays the same: hull on the surface, camera on the automatic cable reel down to around 20 metres. New is the camera that rotates 360 degrees, with a Sony STARVIS sensor and a 164.6° field of view, plus six yellow LED lights. According to the manufacturer, the runtime is 4 to 6 hours and the Wi-Fi range 30 to 60 metres. GPS with a return function is on board, and if you like you can mount a sonar such as the Deeper.
Pros
Camera rotates 360°
4–6 h runtime, GPS
Mount for a sonar
Cons
No free diving
Full HD only
Hardly listed by retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Strictly speaking it is over budget – but it is the reason we only recommend the Dory with reservations. The Gladius Mini S is the cheapest way to 4K and 100 metres of dive depth: a tether of 100 or 200 metres, two lamps of 1,200 lumens each, up to 4 hours of runtime and a remote control with an HDMI output. In the manufacturer’s shop the 100-metre package costs US$1,299, and in German retail it is available from around €1,260.
Pros
4K and 100 m depth
Up to 4 h runtime
Remote control with HDMI
Cons
Over €1,000
Hardly available in Switzerland
from approx. €1,260Retail price range · Switzerland: currently hardly available
If you want 4K and 100 metres of depth but cannot spend €1,260, take a look at the second-hand market. Older Chasing and FIFISH models turn up again and again on Kleinanzeigen, Willhaben or Ricardo. We cannot give fixed prices here – they depend heavily on the model, condition, tether length and accessories. Above all, check the battery, tether, propellers and seals, and ask for the invoice if there is still a warranty. You will find our checklist in the guide Buying second-hand without getting soaked.
Pros
Mid-range technology at a lower price
Often comes with accessories
Cons
Battery condition hard to check
Warranty often expired
Which drone for which use?
Use
Our recommendation
Why
Holidays, beach, swimming lake
Chasing Dory
light, small, simple – shallow, clear water is enough
Fishing from the shore, a boat or the ice
Chasing F1 or F1 Pro
GPS, long runtime, camera right at the fish
Boat mooring a few metres deep
Chasing Dory
enough for hull, anchor and chain in shallow water
Alpine lakes, steep walls, dive lakes
Gladius Mini S or used
you are only flexible with 100 m of tether or more
Beautiful underwater films
save up and buy mid-range
4K and plenty of light only come above €1,000
An example: on the Attersee(German), the underwater forest near Weyregg lies only a few metres down – a Dory is enough for that. The steep wall at the Schwarze Brücke, on the other hand, drops away more than 50 metres, and there you need a drone with a long tether. It is similar at the Kreidesee Hemmoor(German): many sunken objects lie between 3 and 25 metres. Whether you may use a drone there is something to clarify beforehand with the dive centre.
What to watch out for with cheap drones
Tether length is not dive depth: The tether almost never hangs vertically. With 15 metres of tether you only reach 15 metres of depth directly below the buoy. More on this in the buying guide.
Wi-Fi range: With a buoy and with fish finder drones, your smartphone connects over Wi-Fi. 15 to 60 metres is not much – over water and with obstacles, rather less.
Light: Cheap models save the most here. In murky lakes, too little light is the biggest problem.
Battery: A built-in battery means that when it is empty, the outing is over.
Buying from the manufacturer’s shop: For orders in US dollars, shipping, customs and import charges may be added, especially in Switzerland. Work this out before you buy.
Local dealer: A dealer in Germany, Austria or Switzerland helps with warranty claims. Keep the invoice safe.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a good underwater drone under €1,000?
New, under €1,000 there are mainly the Chasing Dory for shallow water down to 15 metres and the fish finder drones Chasing F1 and F1 Pro for anglers. 4K and 100 metres of depth start with the Chasing Gladius Mini S from approx. €1,260 – or second-hand.
What is the cheapest underwater drone?
The cheapest classic underwater drone from the big manufacturers is the Chasing Dory at around US$600 in the manufacturer’s shop. However, it is hardly listed by retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Is a used underwater drone worth it?
Yes, if you check carefully: battery, tether, propellers and seals are the weak points. Second-hand, a mid-range drone can fall below €1,000. What to look out for is in our guide to buying second-hand.
In the video
The cheapest drone and the budget pick in the official videos from CHASING:
Official video from CHASING (YouTube)Official video from CHASING (YouTube)
Practical tip to finish
Think honestly about where you will use the drone. If it is almost only the swimming lake and holidays, a Dory is enough. If you want to go into deeper lakes even now and then, 15 metres of tether will annoy you after the very first outing – then a used or new Gladius Mini S is the better deal. In the forum under “Buying advice”(German), other underwater pilots will help you decide.
You can find reactions and comments on this article in the Unterwasserpilot forum (in German, English posts welcome).
