The Genius Hack For Landing A Drone On Water

Soda-bottle specials aren’t in any danger of replacing actual waterproof drones, of course. Pop pontoons don’t solve the underlying problem: the drone itself is still fragile and susceptible to water damage. One bad breeze could still mean oblivion. Those bottles aren’t exactly SCUBA-rated either, and the slightest leak in any of them could render the whole apparatus useless. Sealant and anti-corrosives come with a similar issue: they work, more or less, but they degrade with time and use, eventually leaving the pilot with the same problem.

That said, hacks are fun. Soda bottle pontoons are a truly elegant 99-cent fix for what currently prices out at a mulit-thousand-dollar problem: drones that are waterproof out of the box, like DJI’s M30, are still $10k+. Likewise DIY solutions, which offer much of the utility of waterproof drones at a fraction of the cost. Until waterproof drone prices come down, fiscally frugal flyers might consider opening up their machines and proofing themselves. Alternatively, drink more caffeine and give the pontoon thing a shot.