Five underwater drones from Chasing and FIFISH head to head: with grades in six categories, pros and cons, and current prices for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Test winner: QYSEA FIFISH V6 Expert – the strongest package, but expensive.
Best-value winner: QYSEA FIFISH V-EVO – our recommendation for most hobby pilots.
Budget pick: Chasing Gladius Mini S – 4K and 100 m depth at the lowest price.
Transparency: The grades are based on the official manufacturer data and our grading scheme (see How we grade). Hands-on tests in the water will follow. Prices: as of October 2026, without guarantee.
A Chasing ROV and its yellow tether at a lake shore. · Image: CHASING
The video for the ranking
Video by Unterwasserpilot (YouTube, 4:21 min.): from fifth place to the overall winner
The strongest all-round package in the comparison: plenty of light, a large battery, slow motion at 240 frames per second and an interface for professional tools. For most hobby pilots, though, more drone than they need.
The FIFISH V-EVO at the shore of a mountain lake. · Image: QYSEA
Camera & image (30%)1.5
Light (15%)1.0
Depth & tether (15%)1.5
Battery & runtime (15%)2.0
Movement & control (15%)1.5
Features & accessories (10%)1.8
Pros
6,000 lumens of light
156 Wh battery, 90% charged in 1 h
Slow motion at 240 fps, photos also as DNG
Expandable via Q-IF interface
Cons
Considerably more expensive than the hobby models
Gripper arm set costs around €1,000 extra
Official video by QYSEA (YouTube)
from €2,899 excl. VATQYSEA shop DE (approx. €3,450 with 19% VAT) · Switzerland: CHF 3,050 incl. VAT
Chasing's accessory platform: eight thrusters for movement in all directions, a replaceable battery and connections for gripper arm, sonar, laser scale and metal detector.
Camera & image (30%)2.3
Light (15%)2.4
Depth & tether (15%)1.5
Battery & runtime (15%)1.5
Movement & control (15%)1.5
Features & accessories (10%)1.5
Pros
Replaceable battery
8 thrusters, 360° movement
Very wide range of accessories
Operating radius up to 400 m
Cons
Only a few German-speaking retailers
Chasing shop only in US dollars, in Germany via Echolotzentrum
Official video by CHASING (YouTube)
from €2,799 incl. VATEcholotzentrum (DE) · Chasing shop USA from US$2,499 excl. tax · Switzerland: no information
Rank 4
Chasing Gladius Mini S
Image: Chasing
Budget pickGrade2.5good
The cheapest route to 4K and 100 metres of dive depth. Classic control, solid package, with a gripper claw in the “Flash” package.
Camera & image (30%)2.3
Light (15%)3.4
Depth & tether (15%)1.5
Battery & runtime (15%)2.5
Movement & control (15%)3.0
Features & accessories (10%)2.5
Pros
Inexpensive for 4K and 100 m
Up to 4 h runtime
Slow motion in Full HD
Remote control with HDMI
Cons
Less light
No movement in all directions
Hardly available in Switzerland
Official video by CHASING (YouTube)
from approx. €1,260Price range in the shops · Switzerland: currently hardly available
A small, light beginner drone for shallow water. With 15 metres of depth and Full HD, however, it is quite limited – and hardly available from retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland any more. All the details in the individual review: Chasing Dory: a closer look.
Camera & image (30%)4.0
Light (15%)4.7
Depth & tether (15%)4.5
Battery & runtime (15%)4.3
Movement & control (15%)3.5
Features & accessories (10%)4.0
Pros
Very light and compact
Cheapest way in
Control via Wi-Fi buoy
Cons
Only 15 m depth
Only Full HD, little light
Max. 60 min runtime
Discontinued model in the shops
Official video by CHASING (YouTube)
approx. US$600 (manufacturer shop)Price range in the shops · Switzerland: no information
How we grade
We grade each drone in six categories. The basis is the official manufacturer data – we will follow up with our own hands-on test in the water for every model and then adjust the grades. As at school, the grades run from 1.0 (very good) to 6.0.
Category
Weight
What we assess
Camera & image
30%
Resolution, frame rate, slow motion, raw photos
Light
15%
Total brightness of the lamps in lumens
Depth & tether
15%
maximum depth, available tether lengths
Battery & runtime
15%
Runtime according to the manufacturer, replaceable battery, capacity
Movement & control
15%
classic or 360°, hold functions
Features & accessories
10%
Gripper, sonar, interfaces, remote control
Frequently asked questions
Which underwater drone is the best?
The FIFISH V6 Expert offers the strongest all-round package. For most hobby pilots, though, the FIFISH V-EVO is the better choice, because it can do almost as much and is considerably cheaper.
Which underwater drone is the cheapest?
The cheapest is the Chasing Dory, but it is hardly available any more from retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The cheapest route to 4K and 100 metres of depth is the Chasing Gladius Mini S.
How deep should an underwater drone be able to dive?
A few metres are enough for a swimming lake or a boat mooring. If you want to stay flexible, choose a model with 100 metres of depth – that is standard in the mid-range today. More on this in our buying guide.
Do I need a licence?
We found no separate licence or registration requirement for underwater drones in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Rules for individual bodies of water still apply – more on this in the guide.
Practical tip to finish
Do not buy the drone with the best grade, but the one that suits your water. If you only film in a swimming lake, you do not need professional equipment – and you save a good 1,000 euros.
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