Drone fishing is a relatively new way to fish, and nearly all of the drones in the DJI ecosystem are perfect for drone fishing. However, one drone is very different from the rest, and that drone is the DJI FPV drone. DJI has recently introduced its first first-person view (FPV) drone for racing and photography. The DJI FPV combines amazing agility and speed with a great camera. But is it any good for drone fishing?
The DJI FPV drone can be used for fishing, but there are no bait dropping adapters available for this drone. You’ll have to use a DIY approach to using this drone for drone fishing. Alternatively, you can purchase another DJI or dedicated fishing drone for a better fishing experience.
Can I use DJI FPV for fishing?
The motivation for purchasing a DJI FPV drone is different from most DJI drones. The FPV drone is perfect for people who want a more exhilarating experience flying their drone.
For example, people who want high speed and full manual control options are better off with the DJI FPV drone. Other drones in the DJI ecosystem will be better for others who want a more portable drone with dedicated aftermarket mechanical and electrical bait droppers.
However, I am all for using your current drone to try out new hobbies. There is no point in purchasing a brand-new drone if you won’t regularly use it for fishing.
You can use the DJI FPV drone already in your possession to enhance the other hobbies that you enjoy – including fishing.
It has the specs
There is no doubt that the DJI FPV drone has all of the specifications for a drone capable of being used for drone fishing.
Because this drone has various modes, including a full manual option, you can push the drone motors much harder than in other types of drones.
The battery power will be depleted significantly quicker when you do this, so be very careful.
Here is a full rundown on all of the specs of the DJI FPV drone.
| Spec | DJI FPV |
| Take off weight | Approx. 795 g |
| Maximum lift | ~ 1.3 kg (from this Youtube experiment) |
| Max Flight Time (no wind) | Approx. 20 mins (measured while flying at 40 kph in windless conditions) |
| Max Hovering Time (no wind) | Approx. 16 mins (measured when flying in windless conditions) |
| Max Flight Distance (no wind) | 16.8 km (measured while flying in windless conditions) |
| Max Flight Speed (near sea level, no wind) | 140 kph; M mode: 39 m/s (27 m/s in Mainland China) S mode: 27 m/s N mode: 15 m/s |
| Max Wind Speed Resistance | 39-49 kph (25-31 mph) |
You can see that the payload delivery is approximately 1.3 kg maximum. This weight is more than enough to send some fishing tackle and bait out over the ocean. The great thing about using this drone is that it is very fast and powerful.
The DJI FPV drone can be used as a fishing drone, but because of its primary use case as a racing drone, there are not many clips available on the market.
But no after market dropping system is available
You can purchase aftermarket bait release and dropping mechanisms for many other DJI drones.
A couple of very good bait release systems are available for other types of drones, including mechanical and electrical release systems. I have recently purchased the SkyClip for my DJI Mavic air to be used with fishing.
Sky Clip has a mechanical release system, which means it drops the bait as soon as the reel jams. It doesn’t have any sensors or batteries, so it’ll be able to withstand the rigours of fishing with your drone. Nothing is more frustrating than electronics failing and ruining your fishing expedition.
However, there are no bait release systems for the DJI FPV drone.
DIY bait dropping options
You can use a DIY system like the one used in the YouTube video below.
A DIY method works like this:
- Attach a forward-facing hook on the bottom of the drone (wire and cable ties)
- Tie a loop in your line above the tackle and bait.
- Place the loop on the hook of the drone
- Fly forward with your reel in free spool
- Once you get to where you want to drop the bait, turn the drone around to the open part of the hook facing the rod.
- Lock the reel and fly backwards – causing the loop to be pulled off the hook.
- The bait will fall into the ocean, and you can fly the drone back to the shore, or you can press the return to the home button to do it automatically if your drone has that feature.
The DIY method of attaching something to your drone can be much riskier than buying an aftermarket bait dropper. However, keeping it simple will help you minimise the risks associated with cable tying stuff to your drone.
Ways you can use the DJI FPV for fishing
There are many other ways to use your DJI FPV drone for fishing other than bait dropping. A drone is perfect for scouting new fishing spots, finding schools of fish to cast into and trawling burley into the water to attract fish.
Scout new spots
Using a drone with a front-facing camera isn’t simply for delivering the bait.
Given the current weather conditions, you might want to take the drone out before deciding on a fishing spot to scan the beach or coastline for the finest fishing spots.
You might even discover a previously unknown hidden area at a well-known fishing spot.
The fact that you can use the drone as a simple reconnaissance device might be the only reason you need to bring it along on your next fishing excursion. However, the advantages don’t end there!
Find schools of fish
A drone with a camera allows you to have a bird’s eye view of the earth. As you fly above the water, you’ll be able to identify schools of bait fish or other species, exactly like a bird. From straight above, it’s much easier to look into the water, so you’ll be able to locate the bait fish without any glare from the ocean.
Using the drone’s camera, you’ll be able to pinpoint the ideal location for dropping the bait rapidly. These fishermen in this YouTube video can locate a ball of bait fish that tuna are attacking and drop their hook directly into the mix — it’s an amazing sight to see:
Trawling
Another great use of an FPV drone is trawling and distributing burley in your fishing area. The high payload capacity of this drone means that you will be able to move fish heads easily and burley up and down the beach or in your fishing area to attract fish towards your bait.
Are drones good for fishing?
Besides all of the reasons above that you may wish to purchase a drone for fishing, there are plenty of other great reasons for utilising drone technology in a fishing setting.
My favourite reasons for using my sky clip with my drone for fishing include:
- massive casting distance – When you go drone fishing, you won’t have to worry about casting your bait out into a specific location – past rocks or a bar – because the drone will do it for you! You can get as far out as the amount of line on your spool with a drone.
- Less expensive than a boat – A drone will allow you to do all of the things that boat fishing allows you to do without getting sea sickness.
- Not bound by surf conditions – Unlike a boat, kayak, or pontoon, a drone is not affected by shifting tides or surf conditions. Fly the drone up into the air and out into the surf to begin fishing.
- It won’t scare away fish – The great thing about a drone is that it makes no noise or disturbance in the water, so it’s doubtful that it’ll scare away any fish.
What drone is best for fishing? DJI FPV fishing alternative.
Perhaps the best option for you, if you are fishing regularly or you want to upgrade from your DIY FPV solution, is to purchase a dedicated drone for fishing. Or, at the very least, purchase another DJI drone with an aftermarket option for bait dropping.
Dedicated drone – Swellpro Waterproof Splash Drone
The Swellpro waterproof splash drone was designed specifically for drone fishing. It has a maximum loading capacity of 1 kg, a 1 km flying range, and a 20-minute flight period — everything you need to safely and quickly deploy bait into the ocean. Here are some of the other characteristics that make this a drone worth considering:
- It’s completely waterproof and saltwater safe.
- HD camera and fishing line releasing mechanism
- You can drop precise bait with an all-in-one remote controller and a live video monitor.
- Long-range and a reasonable flight time
- Auto return to home and auto land
- Surprisingly, this drone can land on water and send live underwater images back to the user from the camera.
Another DJI fishing drone – Mavic Air 2S with Sky Clip
The DJI Air 2S is a 595 g drone that can fold the arms into the body, making it easier to transport. Without any weight on the drone, it can hover for 30 minutes and fly 18.5 kilometres in the absence of wind.
![Using the DJI Air 2S for fishing [Bait droppers and tips]](https://droneflyingpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Using-the-DJI-Air-2S-for-fishing.jpg)
These specifications are ideal for drone fishing. The drone has enough power and flight duration to safely deliver your bait and equipment far away from the coast.
You’ll need to purchase a payload dropper to cast out your bait and tackle with the DJI Air 2S. The bait dropper will attach straight to your line in free spooling mode and carry your line out with the bait.
Summary
This article has been through everything you need to know about fishing with the DJI FPV drone. While it is not the best DJI drone for fishing it can be used with a DIY bait dropper for fishing.
Also, you can use the drone for other activities that will help your fishing including scouting new spots, looking for schools of fish, and trawling bait.
