CHASING DORY Review 2026: The World's Most Portable Underwater Drone

The idea of slipping an underwater drone into a daypack alongside your snorkel gear used to sound like science fiction. In 2026, it's the everyday reality of the CHASING DORY. Billed as the world's most compact and portable underwater drone, the DORY punches well above its weight — delivering stunning underwater video from a device small enough to hold in one hand. Here's our full review.

Who Is the CHASING DORY For?

The DORY is built for the curious adventurer. If you snorkel, kayak, freedive, fish, or simply want to see what's under your boat, the DORY makes it effortless. You don't need technical training or a heavy gear setup. Unfold it, connect the tether, lower it over the side, and within minutes you're watching live footage from below the surface on your phone or tablet.

It's also a great first underwater drone for anyone who wants to explore ROV technology before committing to a more professional (and more expensive) platform.

Design and Portability

The DORY's standout feature is its size. It's genuinely small — roughly the size of a large smartphone — and weighs just grams compared to bulkier ROVs. The compact form factor means it travels anywhere: in a carry-on bag, a dive bag, or even a jacket pocket. The optional CHASING DORY Travel Backpack ($99) adds a dedicated, padded carry solution that keeps the drone, tether, and accessories organized and protected.

It's available in three colors: Yellow (high-visibility), Sea Mist (aqua-toned), and Shadow Gray (understated). The Yellow variant is especially popular for anyone working in murky or fast-moving water where visibility of the drone itself matters.

Camera and Video Quality

For a drone at this price point and size, the DORY's camera quality is impressive. It streams live video back to your surface device in real time, allowing you to see fish, coral, kelp beds, underwater structures, and more as you explore. The live feed is stable and color rendering in well-lit water is excellent.

Built-in lights help in dimmer conditions, though for serious deep-water low-light work you'd want to look at a more advanced model like the CHASING GLADIUS MINI S.

Depth and Tether Range

The standard DORY package comes with a 100m tether, meaning you can explore up to 100 meters away (horizontally or vertically). For most recreational use cases — snorkeling spots, shallow reef exploration, checking out a fishing hole — 100m is more than enough range. If you regularly fish deeper water or want to inspect boat hulls in more challenging environments, the 200m package ($1,499) extends your reach significantly.

The tether management is straightforward, and Chasing's optional Manual Reel ($399) makes deploying and retrieving the tether much cleaner, especially from a boat or dock.

Ease of Use

This is where the DORY truly shines for newcomers. The control interface is intuitive — the Chasing app is well-designed, with simple joystick-style controls that most people can master in under 15 minutes. Unlike aerial drones, you don't have to worry about fly-aways, wind, or complex stabilization modes. The DORY is naturally buoyant and self-stabilizing in calm water.

Setup is fast: unfold the drone, unspool your tether, connect to the app, and you're in the water. The streamlined experience means more time exploring and less time fiddling with equipment.

What Are the Limitations?

No product is perfect. The DORY is optimized for portability and ease of use, not professional inspection work. If you need robotic arms, sediment samplers, extended tether depth ratings beyond 200m, or extreme-current stability, you'll want to look at the CHASING M2 S or CHASING M2 PRO instead. The DORY is a recreational explorer — and it excels at exactly that.

CHASING DORY Specs at a Glance

• Starting price: $1,299 (100m package)
• Maximum tether depth: 100m (standard) / 200m (upgrade)
• Form factor: Ultra-compact, pocket-sized
• Colors: Yellow, Sea Mist, Shadow Gray
• Accessories: Travel Backpack, Manual Reel, additional tether options
• Best for: Snorkelers, divers, fishermen, kayakers, boat owners

Verdict: Should You Buy the CHASING DORY?

If you want the most portable, beginner-friendly underwater drone on the market in 2026, the CHASING DORY is our top recommendation at its price point. It removes every barrier to entry — no expertise required, no massive gear kit needed, no complex setup. Just lower it into the water and explore.

At $1,299, it's a serious investment, but it's also the most affordable way to access real underwater footage and the joy of ROV exploration. If you're ready to see what's beneath the surface, pick up the CHASING DORY at Global Drone HQ and start exploring.