GLADIUS MINI, the second generation of underwater drones

by spotmydive

Developed by Chasing Innovation, the Gladius Mini is the second generation of ROV Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle of a brand that has worked hard to improve and optimize the capabilities and functionality of this new model. The Gladius Mini is now equipped with five powerful engines to allow itself to stabilize perfectly and move in all directions.

Main features of the Gladius Mini submarine robot

Gladius Mini, a bionic inspired design

To draw the shape of its new model of submarine drone, Chasing Innovation was inspired by what exists in nature. To optimize the hydrodynamic profile with a high-performance fluid drainage system, the company relied on the shape of the fish’s gills. We find, moreover, this pattern of gills on the sides of the device. Its hull has been designed to offer the smallest possible resistance to currents and to offer a fast speed of evolution as well as a perfect stability.

A featherweight and transportable marine drone

In addition to a sober and successful design, the Gladius Mini weighs only 2.5 kg. You should know that the Gladius Mini consists of four separate parts: the drone itself of a size of 38.5 x 22.6 x 13.8 cm is the same size as a Macbook Pro 15, a remote control, a tie cord rolled up from 50 to 100 meters and a station serving as a Wi-Fi access point connected to the drone but which is left on the shore. You can carry the four Gladius Mini components in a large backpack or in two small ones.

Advanced Artificial Intelligence

To drive the 5 powerful engines of the submarine two at the rear for horizontal evolutions and three vertical motors are placed in triangle shape, the Mini Gladius uses a new control algorithm which ensures the submarine drone with an incredible stability .

Tilt up to 45 °

Thanks to the new engine layout associated with the AI algorithm, the Gladius Mini maintains perfect stability both on the horizontal axis and on the vertical axis. The novelty of this Mini version is the possibility to tilt the ROV more or less than 45 ° up and down. Once the optimal position is reached, it is advisable to lock these parameters thanks to the Tilt-Lock mode then to make your underwater films. This option allows you to offer multiple viewing angles to make your movies more dynamic.

Camera and video

When it comes to the camera; the Gladius Mini uses a 1 / 2.3-inch 12-megapixel sensor, headed by an f / 3.0 lens. It has an ISO range of 100 to 3200 and can capture RAW images in JPEG and DNG format. You can record a 4K video at 3840 x 2160 at 30 fps with a bit rate of 60 Mbps. You can also record a Full HD video at 30, 60 or 120fps. Still images and videos are saved on a 64 GB micro SD card.

Locking the depth

The Gladius Mini is able to dive up to 100 meters provided you have the necessary length of wire. A depth lock mode allows one-touch operation of the controller to maintain the drone at its actual depth.

Use your marine drone at night

The Gladius Mini drone has two powerful 1,200-lumen LED headlights with a color temperature of 5,000 K light with an IRC of 80. Now you can capture video footage and images at night, in low visibility or in deep waters.

An underwater drone VR

VR headsets are fashionable as they make this type of experience much more immersive. Good news, they are available on the Gladius Mini. Video feedback can be visualized with virtual reality VR or HMD headphones. In this viewing mode, you can set the ISOs, white balance and color tone for manual rendering in manual or automatic settings.

Sharing app

Using the free downloadable Gladius app in the App Store and Google Play, you can stream or post your underwater videos to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and WeChat or watch them live on VR helmet.

Gladius Mini, Technical Specifications

  • Dimensions : 38,5×22, 6 x13,8cm
  • Weight : 2.5kg
  • Maximum Depth : 100m
  • Temperature resistance : -10 ° C to 45 ° C
  • Movement speed : 2m / s
  • Battery : 2 hours
  • Wire lenght : 50m standard
  • LED 4K UHD : 3840 x2160 30fps
  • FHD : 1920×1080 25/30/50/60/100 / 120fps
  • HD : 1280×720 25/30/50/60/100/120/200 / 240fps
  • 12 megapixel image resolution : DNG, JPEG RAW
  • Image Sensor : 1 / 2.3 inches
  • ISO range : 100-3200 auto / manual
  • LED : 2400 lumens
  • SD Card : 64 GB standard

What price is the Gladius Mini ROV?

The submarine drone Gladius Mini is offered at a very attractive price:

  • €1,499 for the 50 meters wired version.
  • €1,599 for the 100 meters wired version.

Should I buy this underwater drone?

With 5 motors, a 4K camera, a 45° tilt mode, a depth lock, 2 hours of battery, a powerful lighting of 2400 lumens and a competitive price, the submarine robot Gladius Mini has very serious assets that you must take into account in your choice.

Are you the lucky owner of one of these drones and would like to share your experience and share your opinion? Do you think there is a better underwater drone on the market? Let us know your what you think in the comments box.