Gannet Pro Fishing Drone

PLEASE NOTE, THIS IS A PREORDER PRODUCT.

OUR DESIGN GOALS:

✅ Fully waterproof drones that can fly in heavy rain

✅ Powerful with payloads up to 2,5kg

✅ High-efficiency rate with aerodynamics designed to fly in high winds for longer

✅ Reliable with a trusted GPS flight controller

✅ Weather resistant and sand proof remote so that it can be used on the beach without  sand getting in the remote sticks

✅ LCD display for drone telemetry, battery, and GPS status, use with or without a smartphone, the Gannet Camera is an optional extra, Full HD (1080p) live video from the gimbaled camera so that it can be used as an effective search and rescue drone with clear live HD video

✅ Multiple auxiliary attachment points for 4k action/360 cameras and spotlights

✅ Fully sealed electronics, preventing corrosion of electronics, despite needing uninhibited barometric pressure sensing

✅ Failsafe electro-mechanical payload release that can be mechanically or electrically activated

✅ Expandable with the option to add external long-endurance batteries and custom payload bays

✅ Bright onboard lights for easy night navigation

UNIQUE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE CONTROL:

Drones, especially waterproof flying drones have a unique challenge in the sense that they use barometric pressure to control their altitude/hight. To this end, they must breathe and displace roughly as much as 20% of their internal air volume during each flight. As the electronic components and battery heat up the internal air expands in volume and the excess volume needs to be pushed out of the drone’s sealed shell.

All other existing “waterproof” drones make use of a breathable cloth/paper-like membrane through which the air is expelled. This membrane method is used as there is no current mechanical means (valve) that allows bidirectional free airflow but seals water flow off and reopens as soon as there is no water present.

Once the drone starts to cool down, say when it starts to rain or when it lands in the water, or even just at the end of each flight, the air cools down and contracts and at this point new air is drawn into the drone by the vacuum formed from the contracting air and components, the same happens each time the drone descends, the external barometric pressure goes up and air is forced in. If the membrane is wet at this stage it becomes a barrier to free air movement but
despite this barrier, the vacuum will still draw water and or water vapor into the drone and electronics compartment causing long term damage. This wet membrane is a significant barrier to free airflow that retards the heating/expanding air from escaping the drone freely causing the internal pressure to rise which in return gives false readings to the flight controller resulting in the drone’s unintended and undesirable gain in altitude.

To address this unique challenge each Gannet is fitted with a flexible internal flight bladder. The concept is incredibly simple, and very similar in nature to a fishes swim bladder, a short a tube is connected to a strategically placed and shielded opening to the exterior of the drone, this tube is then connected to the flight bladder, which at rest has approximately 20% of the drones internal volume in it. As the drone heats up the air expands, this pushes on the outside of the bladder and forces the air in the bladder out through the opening decreasing the bladder size.

Any air that is drawn back in when the drone cools down or changes altitude
simply fills the bladder through the tube and can never reach the electronics. It does not matter what moisture content is in the ”air” as all that matters to the drone is displaced volume, which function the flight bladder fulfills effortlessly. Should water be drawn in at this stage it would simply run out at a later stage and be replaced with air once out of the water. This unique and patent-pending design ensures that the electronics will never see the external environment, be it humid air, rain, snow, salt spray or ocean water. The electronics stay dry at all times and with perfectly balanced barometric pressure this ensures stable flight without
uncontrollable altitude gain as is the case with all other “waterproof” drones.

COMPACT YET POWERFUL.

These bigger loads draw heavy on the drone’s battery and limit flight time to a great extent but even so the Pro can fly a lifesaving tow line out to a person in trouble several hundred meters from shore. For the land-based fisherman in New Zealand, it can take out a kontiki line for as far as the eye can see.

FAIL-SAFE RELEASE:

Many drones are used for fishing and one of the biggest drone sinkers is when the line gets snagged or when a seagull or pelican hits the line whilst the drone is on its way out with the line. Solving this problem was easy, this was done by fitting each Gannet Done with the patented Gannet XSport dual electromechanical release. What this does is give the user the ability to set the release to auto-release on a given setting. So if 1kg is flown the user may set the release to 1,5kg so as soon as a bird hits the line it simply unclips saving the drone, and if a precession drop is required simply press the button on the remote and the electrical side releases the load on command.

This release is not exclusively for fishing as it can also be used when flying out a lifeline/ lifevest to a person in distress. The drone can lower the strap to him and when he tugs on the line it will unclip. Or one can even pull them to shore with the drone itself knowing that the drone is safe and will free itself if the load gets too much.

Gannet has been making drone release systems since 2016 for all major drone makes so it only makes sense that the best possible release would be fitted to the Gannet Pro. The Gannet XSport has several granted and also pending multinational patents making them the worlds only failsafe electro-mechanical release systems.

REMOTE CONTROLLER:

The remote control, like the drone, is focused on function. With a built-in LCD display providing the operator with everything they need such as the drone’s vital telemetry, distance, hight, drone battery and GPS satellites. With this, the Gannet can be flown without connecting a smartphone or tablet. Connecting a smart device through the Gannet app to the drone provides a high definition display for video feedback and realtime map location. This also then stores the flight logs and history in the App.

BATTERY CHARGING

With the main market for Gannet drones being people that will be away from their home base, all Gannets come with a battery charger that can recharge the battery in about 1hour from a 12V DC battery or 110V-240V AC power outlet making field charging easy and convenient.

RISKS AND CHALLENGES

Our journey over the last few years has allowed us to turn our passion for drones and fishing into an established business. Throughout our journey, our focus has been developing great products backed up by a passionate team whose major focus is customer service.

Developing products like this takes time, money and a lot of effort. Being fully self-funded thus far we have managed to develop our designs, software, and components to a point we are now in a position for final production.

We have been through multiple prototypes and have already started making the required molds. This means that we are months ahead almost ready to start producing the Gannet Pro Drones, we need your help to get the best pricing possible bring our Drones to life!

Crowdfunding will allow us to get upfront bulk orders, allowing us to negotiate part and shipping prices with our suppliers, thus allowing us to pass this saving on and share it with our Gannet family.