Buying an underwater drone often requires some research. There are many factors such as cruise speed, depth, battery life, etc that needs to be considered while buying ROVs. Even after all the research you often find at least a couple of drones falling in the same category. To help you in such situations I have tried to provide insight into two of the famous underwater drones in the general-purpose ROV category.
In this article, I am comparing Gladius Mini with FiFish V6, two of the best drones for hobby or recreation purposes. I had the privilege to see both these ROVs in action at CES 2020. Also, check out our in-depth buying guide on best underwater drones which you’ll find super helpful if you are planning to buy an underwater drone.
Below are the exact models I have compared in this article
What’s in the Box?
Both these drones come in a box with foam pads for safety.
Gladius Mini
- Gladius Mini Drone and Remote Controller
- Base Station, Tether and Winder
- Phone/Tablet Mount and Brackets
- 3A Power Cord and Adapter, 5V USB charger for Remote Controller
- Warranty and Help Docs
- Absorbent Towel and some spares(screws, O-ring, weights)
- Backpack
FiFish V6
- FIFISH V6 Underwater Robot
- Remote Controller
- VR Box
- Kevlar Tether, Tether Spool
- Underwater Robot Charger
- Remote Control Charger
Physical Features
Both these underwater drones have a unique design and both look good. It is really difficult to pick one when it comes to aesthetics.
| Gladius Mini | FiFish V6 | |
| Weight | ~5lbs | ~8lbs |
| Thrusters | 5 | 6 |
| Tether Length | 50m/100m | 100m |
| Number of Lights | 2 | 2 |
Gladius Mini weighs just around 5lbs whereas FiFish V6 weighs about 8lbs. But FiFish V6’s extra thruster might help you when the water current is higher.
Both these ROVs have the same tether length and number of LED lights.
Technical Features
Apart from the camera the three major features that must be considered while buying any underwater drones are operating depth, battery life and cruise speed. Also as you go deeper it gets darker and hence you may also need to consider a drone with powerful headlight.
So let us take a look at how both Gladius Mini and FiFish V6 stand against each other in terms of technical specifications
| Gladius Mini | FiFish V6 | |
| Camera | 4K | 4K |
| Lens Angle | 95° | 165° |
| Operational Depth | 50m/100m | 100m |
| Cruise Speed | 4 knots | 3 knots |
| Battery Life | 2hrs | 4.5hrs |
| LED Lights | 2x 1200 Lumens | 2x 2000 Lumens |
As you can see, both the drones can operate at the same depth but the speed of Gladius Mini is more compared to FiFish V6. When it comes to the camera, although both Gladius Mini and FiFish v6 are capable of 4K recording, FiFish V6 has a wide-angle lens allowing to capture the surroundings with ease.
FiFish V6 comfortably outwits Gladius Mini when it comes to battery life and Lights. FiFish V6 has double battery capacity compared to Gladius Mini which is very much important in ROVs. Also, the headlights of FiFish are much more powerful giving you crisp and bright videos even when there is no natural light at the depth.
Other Features
There are some features that are unique in both these ROVs. It completely depends on your purpose as to what features you need. I have tried to list those features in this section.
Gladius Mini
- One-Touch Depth Lock Mode
- ±45° Adjustable Tilt Lock Mode
- One-Touch Share on Social
- Live Stream
FiFish V6
- 6 Degrees of Freedom
- VR Head Tracking
- FIFISH Posture Lock
- Quick Charge
As you can see both ROVs have their own unique feature and if you need one you are bound to lose others. So it is better to choose the one based on your applications.
Gladius Mini vs FiFish V6: Which one to consider
Two of these underwater drones have their own advantages and disadvantages. So choosing one completely depends on what purpose are you going to use the ROV. Please consider the following aspects while you make your purchase.
Buy Gladius Mini If:
- Looking for a lightweight underwater drone
- You need more speed
- You are tight on budget
- This is your first underwater drone
- Dive to an incredible 330 feet with 100 m tether (165 feet with 50 m...
- Scan the ocean floor, your surroundings, or the surface with...
- Enjoy stable, fluid navigation at speeds up to 4 knots (2m/s) with...
Buy FiFish V6 If:
- You need VR head tracking for an immersive experience
- Longer Battery Life
- Need to capture wide-angle shots (165°)
- FIFISH V-EVO is an upgraded version of the V6 underwater drone, with the...
- Enhance Your Abilities: The FIFISH V-EVO's hydrodynamic, fluid, and rugged...
- 360° Omnidirectional Mobility: Reach beyond the limits of traditional...
I prefer Gladius Mini due to its low cost. If you are considering FiFish V6, do check out Geneinno Titan, it is a good alternative
Please consider purchasing the products via our links, it helps to create more useful content. If you have any questions or concerns please do leave a comment and I will be happy to answer.
Last update on 2024-04-16 / Links / Images from Amazon PAAPI
