Chasing Dory Underwater Drone: Is It Worth Buying?
Depends what you’re expecting from it. The Dory is a palm-sized underwater drone, cheap compared to a real ROV. It gets you real underwater video in a couple of minutes. No dive cert, no boat, barely any learning curve. Snorkeling trips, checking a hull, looking under a dock, messing around at the lake, that’s its whole world. Point it at “serious underwater filmmaking” or anything past shallow, calm water and it starts falling apart fast.
That’s not really a criticism. Nobody paying under $500 for this thing should expect a professional ROV, and Chasing never pretended otherwise. What it’s good at, it’s genuinely good at: easy setup, real video for the money, small enough to toss in a daypack. What it can’t do: hold up in current, go deep, or match a 4K camera. The 49-foot tether is the hard limit, and no amount of enthusiasm gets around that.
If you want a fun, simple window into shallow water near shore, the price makes sense. If you want to film reefs at depth, or shoot anything you’d sell, skip to the “buy something else” section below. The Dory isn’t that tool, and won’t pretend to be.
| Standard Dory | Dory Explore (treasure hunting) | Step up: Gladius Mini S |
|---|---|---|
| Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon |
Key Facts
We’ve seen the Dory anywhere from $439 on sale up to $559 or more at some resellers, with $499 being the common baseline. Click through for whatever it’s actually running today.
| Spec | Chasing Dory |
|---|---|
| Price | Typically $439–$559, commonly around $499 |
| Tether length | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Max depth | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Recorded video | 1080p Full HD, 30fps |
| Live stream | 720p |
| Photos | 2 MP |
| Lens | f/1.6, wide angle |
| Lights | Two 250-lumen LEDs |
| Thrusters | 5 (3 vertical, 2 horizontal) |
| Battery | About 1 hour |
| Weight | Under 2.5 lbs |
| Control | CHASING GO2 app via Wi-Fi buoy |
| Modes | Depth Lock, ±45° tilt, dual play |
| Colors | Yellow standard; Mint Green or Shadow Gray on Explore |
Where sources disagreed, we went with Chasing’s own numbers.
What It’s Actually Like to Use
You unfold it, hook the tether to the little floating buoy, drop it in, and open the app on your phone. That’s basically it. First-time setup takes longer than actually using it afterward, in a good way, the drone connects to your phone through its own Wi-Fi network rather than needing anything external.
Controls are simple: forward, back, up, down, a tilt on the camera so you’re not constantly repositioning the whole body just to look up or down. Depth Lock holds a set depth on its own, which sounds minor until you’re trying to just hover and watch something and don’t want to be fighting the joystick the entire time. Two people can also split duties, one flying, one running the camera, and that turns out to matter more than it sounds like on paper. Kids especially take to this fast.
Camera and Video
1080p recorded, 720p on the live feed to your phone. Neither is going to blow anyone away in 2026, and that’s the honest ceiling here. The f/1.6 lens lets in a decent amount of light. Chasing’s color correction fights off some of the blue-green cast that swallows warm tones underwater. Footage doesn’t come out looking totally washed out. The two 250-lumen lights help in shaded or slightly murky spots but don’t expect them to punch through anything genuinely dark.
For posting clips, checking a hull, or a “look what we found” moment with the kids, it’s fine. If you color-grade footage, or want to sell what you shoot, you’ll hit the ceiling here fast. That’s the whole tradeoff of buying at this price.
The Tether Is the Whole Story
49 feet. That’s both the tether length and the max depth, same number. It rules out anything past shallow water: no reef diving at real depth, no wreck exploring, nothing beyond a lake’s shallows or the area around a dock or marina.
For what it’s actually built for, checking a hull, scouting a swim spot, following a snorkeler around, 49 feet covers it most of the time. Want to go further than that? This isn’t your drone, full stop, and no review anywhere should tell you otherwise.
Battery
About an hour, matching what Chasing states and what independent testers have clocked. Charging takes roughly three hours. An hour sounds thin next to a serious ROV, but for the Dory’s actual job, quick dock checks, a snorkel session, an afternoon at the lake, it’s usually enough. Want a full day out? Get a spare battery or plan around the recharge.
Common Problems Owners Actually Report
Worth being straight about this instead of glossing over it, since it comes up a lot in owner forums and a Reddit thread specifically about recurring Dory issues.
The most common complaint is Wi-Fi flakiness on first connection. The app occasionally fails to link to the buoy. Some owners found turning off mobile data fixed it. A smaller number of owners report battery swelling after extended use, which is a known risk with small lithium packs generally, not unique to Chasing. Store the battery partially charged rather than topped off when it’s sitting unused, and don’t leave it charging unattended for long stretches.
None of this is unusual for a device in this price range, and most people don’t run into any of it. If you see a listing with a run of one-star reviews mentioning connectivity or battery issues, this is what they’re about. Not some deeper flaw in the drone itself.
Manual, Charger, and Remote Control: The Accessory Questions
A few things people search for separately once they own one, worth covering here rather than making you dig through a PDF.
Manual: Chasing includes a quick-start guide in the box, and the full manual is downloadable from Chasing’s support site if you’ve misplaced the paper copy or bought used.
Charger: the Dory ships with its own charging cable and adapter; replacements are sold directly through Chasing or on Amazon if yours goes missing or wears out.
Remote control: the base Dory package is controlled entirely through your phone via the app. A physical Bluetooth joystick remote is available as an add-on for around $70 to $80, and it comes included by default in the Dory Explore package. If you find touchscreen controls fiddly, especially on a rocking boat, the remote is worth adding.
Pros and Cons
Good
- Easy to set up and fly in minutes, genuinely no learning curve
- Real 1080p video for well under $600
- Small enough to pack anywhere
- Depth Lock and dual play mode are thoughtful touches at this price
- Solid first underwater drone for families and boaters
Not so good
- 49-foot tether, shallow water only
- Struggles in current or chop
- 1080p, no 4K, no zoom
- About an hour of battery per charge
- Some owner reports of Wi-Fi hiccups and battery swelling over time
Who Should Buy It
Boat owners who want a fast way to eyeball a hull or a prop without getting wet. Snorkelers and kayakers after simple, shareable video. Families with kids who want an easy first taste of underwater exploration. Anglers and ice fishers scouting a spot before they commit to it. Basically, anyone who wants real underwater footage without the cost or hassle of a proper ROV.
Check the current Chasing Dory price on Amazon
Who Should Get the Dory Explore Instead
Same core drone, but it swaps in a Bluetooth joystick remote, a metal detector, and a small net for scooping up finds, plus 16GB of onboard storage. Comes in mint green or a deep purple instead of the usual yellow. Same 49-foot depth, same 1080p camera. If treasure hunting is more the appeal than plain sightseeing, this is the one to get.
Check the Dory Explore price on Amazon
Who Should Skip the Dory
Need real depth or 4K? The Dory will frustrate you within a week. The Chasing Gladius Mini S dives to 330 feet with a 4K UHD camera, image stabilization, and up to four hours of runtime. It costs several times more, but it’s a real step into serious filming and inspection work.
Fish offshore or somewhere with real current? Neither the Dory nor most drones at this price hold position well in moving water. Look at purpose-built fish-finder cameras instead.
Just want to peek under the dock once and never touch it again? A waterproof action camera on a pole is cheaper, though you give up the live remote-control feed.
Check the Chasing Gladius Mini S price on Amazon
Dory vs Gladius Mini S
Prices as of August 2, 2026; check live listings, since bundles and tether lengths vary by retailer.
| Spec | Chasing Dory | Chasing Gladius Mini S |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $439–$559 | $1,500–$2,500+ |
| Max depth | 49 ft | Up to 330 ft |
| Video | 1080p | 4K UHD + stabilization |
| Lights | 2x 250 lumens | 2x 1200–2400 lumens |
| Battery | About 1 hour | Up to 4 hours |
| Weight | Under 2.5 lbs | About 5.5–6.6 lbs |
| Best for | Casual, shallow, easy | Serious filming, deeper water |
The Repeated $1,299 Mistake
Worth flagging clearly, because it’s actively misleading shoppers. We’ve now found four separate “2026 Chasing Dory reviews” quoting a $1,299 price and a 100-meter tether. Those numbers belong to the Gladius Mini S, a different product in Chasing’s lineup entirely. The real Dory has always been the shallow, budget option, 49-foot tether, sub-$600 price. If you land on a “Dory” review with deep-dive specs and a four-figure price, either the writer confused two products or copied from someone who did. We checked everything on this page against Chasing’s own official specs to avoid repeating it.
Warranty and Customer Service: What to Expect
Chasing backs the Dory with a standard 1-year limited warranty through its official store and authorized resellers. Owner reports on support are mixed but not alarming. Most warranty claims for battery or connectivity issues get resolved within a couple of weeks. A few owners on Reddit and the Chasing forum describe slower turnaround on international orders. Buy from Chasing’s own storefront or a listed authorized reseller on Amazon, not an unbranded third party, since that’s what determines whether the warranty is honored at all.
The Verdict
The Chasing Dory does what it says: cheap, simple, genuinely fun underwater video for shallow, calm water. It earns a 7.8 because it delivers real value at its price without pretending to be more than it is. It’s not a filming tool and it’s not built for depth or rough water, and nobody at this price should expect that anyway.
Get the standard Dory for easy, low-stakes exploring. Get the Explore if treasure hunting is the draw. If you find yourself wanting more depth, sharper video, or longer battery life, the Gladius Mini S is the honest next step. It’s not just a Dory with a bigger price tag.
Best alternative: the Gladius Mini S for deeper, sharper filming, or the Dory Explore for a treasure-hunting twist on the same core drone.
| Ready to decide? | Buy link |
|---|---|
| Easiest, most affordable | Chasing Dory on Amazon |
| Treasure hunting twist | Dory Explore on Amazon |
| Want more depth and 4K | Gladius Mini S on Amazon |
Scoring
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 25% | 9.5 | Minutes to learn |
| Value for price | 20% | 8.5 | Real video under $600 |
| Camera quality | 20% | 6.5 | 1080p, fine not impressive |
| Depth and range | 15% | 5.5 | 49 ft is a genuine limit |
| Build and reliability | 10% | 7.0 | Solid, some owner-reported quirks |
| Battery life | 10% | 6.5 | About an hour, fine for short sessions |
FAQs
What is the Chasing Dory underwater drone?
A small, affordable underwater drone that streams live video to your phone through a floating Wi-Fi buoy. Dives to 49 feet on its tether, records 1080p, controlled through the CHASING GO2 app. Built as a cheap, easy entry into underwater exploration for boaters, snorkelers, and families, not as a professional tool.
How much does the Chasing Dory cost?
Usually somewhere between $439 and $559 depending on the retailer and any sale running, with $499 as the common baseline price. The Dory Explore, with the metal detector and net, runs similarly but rarely goes on sale due to how the manufacturer prices it. Check the live listing since it moves around.
How deep can it dive?
49 feet, which is also the full length of its tether and its official depth rating. That’s shallow next to a real ROV, but it covers most casual uses fine: checking a hull, exploring near a dock, following along with a snorkeler. The body itself is fully waterproof to that depth, not just splash-resistant. Need more depth than that, look at the Gladius Mini S instead, which reaches 330 feet.
Is it worth it in 2026?
For the right buyer, yes. Want simple, affordable underwater video in shallow, calm water and don’t mind giving up 4K and real depth? It delivers. Need professional footage, real depth, or performance in any current, it’ll disappoint you fast, and something like the Gladius Mini S is the better call.
Does it shoot 4K?
No. 1080p recorded, 720p live feed to your phone. If 4K matters to you, the Gladius Mini S shoots real 4K UHD with stabilization, for a lot more money. The Dory’s camera is built for casual sharing, not editing.
How long does the battery last?
About an hour per charge, roughly three hours to recharge. Enough for a typical outing, a hull check, a short snorkel trip, scouting a fishing spot, but not a full day without a break or a spare battery.
Can it handle current or waves?
Not really. It’s light and built for calm water, lakes, marinas, sheltered bays. Real current or chop pushes it around and makes precise control difficult. Regularly deal with current or ocean swell? Look at something heavier.
What’s the difference between the Dory and Dory Explore?
Same core drone, same 49-foot tether, same 1080p camera. The Explore adds a Bluetooth joystick remote (optional extra on the standard Dory), a metal detector, a small retrieval net, and 16GB of storage, plus different colors. Get the Explore if hunting for lost items is part of the appeal.
Is it good for kids and beginners?
Yes, this is where it’s strongest. Setup and controls are simple enough to learn in a few minutes, and the dual play mode lets one person pilot while another handles the camera, which works well for families. It’s a common first underwater drone for exactly this reason.
Why do some reviews list it at $1,299 with a 100-meter tether?
That’s an error a handful of sites have made, mixing the Dory up with the Gladius Mini S, which does have roughly that tether length and price range. The real Dory has a 49-foot tether and typically costs under $600. We’ve now spotted this same mistake on four different sites and checked our own numbers directly against Chasing’s official specs to avoid repeating it.
What common problems do owners report?
Mostly Wi-Fi connection quirks during first setup, and in a smaller number of cases, battery swelling over time, a known risk with small lithium packs generally. Turning off mobile data on your phone sometimes fixes the connection issue. Storing the battery partially charged rather than fully charged when unused helps with the swelling risk.
Where do I get a manual or a replacement charger?
The manual is downloadable from Chasing’s support site if you’ve lost the paper copy that comes in the box. Replacement chargers are available directly through Chasing or through Amazon listings if yours breaks or goes missing.
Does it come with a physical remote control?
Not by default. The standard Dory is controlled entirely through your phone’s touchscreen via the app. A Bluetooth joystick remote is available as an optional add-on for around $70 to $80, and it’s included automatically in the Dory Explore package.
Can I use it in saltwater?
Yes, it’s rated for both fresh and saltwater. Saltwater is more corrosive, though, so rinse the drone, tether, and buoy with fresh water after every saltwater trip and let everything dry before storing it. Skipping that habit is the most common way owners shorten the life of any saltwater ROV, not just this one.
Can I use it in a swimming pool?
Yes, and it works well there since pools are calm, shallow, and clear, exactly the conditions the Dory is built for. It’s a popular way to get comfortable with the controls before taking it out to a lake or the ocean. Just give it a fresh water rinse afterward if the pool is chlorinated or saltwater, since chemicals can be just as hard on seals as ocean salt over time.
About This Review
Produced using Chasing’s official specifications, independent hands-on reviews, and owner feedback from Amazon, Reddit, and Chasing’s own forum. We haven’t run our own in-water test of this unit, and we’re not pretending otherwise. We also identified and corrected a specification error (the “$1,299, 100m tether” figure) that we’ve now found repeated on four different sites.
