That hydrographic survey drone I was sure was a gimmick actually saved my ass

I run a small dredging outfit down in Mobile Bay. Last month we had a job clearing a channel near a oyster bed, and the client wanted super precise depth readings so we didn't screw up the bottom. My old boat-mounted sonar was giving me spotty data cause of the currents. Buddy of mine lent me one of those little drone boats with a single-beam echo sounder. I figured it would just float around and crap out. But after 3 passes, it gave me a full grid map in under 2 hours. The thing didn't miss a single shoal. Now I'm looking at buying my own. Anyone else had a piece of gear they thought was overhyped that actually delivered?

3 comments

3 Comments

verap5221d ago

Did it hold up after a couple of uses though? That's the real test with these things, they work great once and then fall apart.

andrew_miller9021d ago

Watched a buddy drop two grand on a fancy GPS unit for his jon boat and laughed it off as a toy. Then I borrowed it for a weekend trip on a lake I'd fished for years and found three spots I had no idea existed. Felt pretty stupid for making fun of him when he was dead on the money. Now I'm the guy telling everyone to just rent the thing first before you knock it. Your mileage may vary, but sometimes the hype is actually real.

lilycraig21d ago

Man I had the exact same thing happen with a handheld GPS fishfinder combo. Took it out on a charter I used to work and figured it'd crap out by noon, but it kept running all day and marked a drop-off that changed how I run that whole stretch of water. If you're gonna buy one look for something with a replaceable battery pack, not the sealed lithium. Those tend to die after a season of hard use and you're stuck. Also keep a spare prop on hand if you're running it near oyster shells, ask me how I know.