BentiX drone offers 30m depth and 1080p camera for pre-order

Underwater drones are certainly useful for inspecting things like ship hulls and fish farm nets – or just exploring – but they can often be relatively large and complex devices that cost a few thousand dollars. However, that’s not the case with the simple little BentiX.

We first hear about the BentiX in 2022.

Designed by (at the time) French naval engineering student Nicolas Boraccino, it was the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. Although that crowdfunding project was not successful, Boraccino continued to develop the concept over the years, and has just announced that the commercial version is now available.

Like the original Kickstarter model, the body of this one is 3D printed from PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol) coated in epoxy, a tough thermoplastic polymer, held together by stainless steel screws. It is powered by four vectored bi-directional brushless motors, each of which can be folded for storage and transport.

As is the case with other small underwater drones/ROVs, the BentiX is connected to a communications cable that runs from it to a joystick-type remote control unit on top (wireless radio signals do not No travel well through water). That remote control displays a live feed from the drone’s 1080p/30fps camera, which is assisted in low-light conditions by three 300-lumen spotlights.

Both video footage and photos are saved on 22GB of internal memory or an included 32GB external SD card.

The drone is designed to operate in both fresh and salt water, with two ballast compartments that can be used to adjust its buoyancy as needed. It can descend to a maximum depth of 30 meters (98 feet). A two-hour charge of its 99.16Wh lithium-ion battery is claimed to be enough for about three hours of use.

The €1,490 (around US$1,720) BentiX Essential package includes the drone, remote control, cable with reel, chargers, and a waterproof carrying bag. A €2,090 ($2,411) BentiX Explorer package adds an attachable 10,000-lumen LED lamp and an interchangeable tip robotic gripper to the mix, for added functionality. European buyers can purchase any of the packages directly through the company’s website, while customers in other regions are recommended to email the company.

It is worth noting that there are are other compact underwater drones, like the Chasing Gladius Mini S, which actually cost a little less than the BentiX. Boraccino claims that the slightly higher price of its French-made product is justified by the fact that it is designed to be maintained and repaired by the user, unlike most of its competitors.

Source: BentiX