Meet iBubble: The World’s First Intelligent Underwater Drone

When it comes to underwater drones, however, the progress has been a little slower. But as is often the case, the higher the demand, the faster development occurs, and the appetite for autonomous robots that can navigate our oceans has been ever growing.

At the vanguard of this progress is Notilo Plus, the French creators of the iBubble, which is billed as the world’s first intelligent, autonomous and fully wireless underwater drone.

Designed to enable exceptional underwater shooting, the iBubble was on display at last September’s Monaco Yacht Show and is now being sold worldwide.

iBubble can accompany divers for up to an hour and at up to 60 metres depth, using the latest artificial intelligence and self-learning technologies to capture and exploit both images and data.

It can be used for sports and entertainment filming, diving instruction, wildlife protection, search and rescue operations, naval or underwater infrastructure maintenance and subsea patrolling.

Speaking exclusively to Superyachts.com, Benjamin Valtin, CEO of Notilo Plus, said:  "Taking part at the last Monaco Yacht Show was a great opportunity to create a synergy and increase our exposure to the yachting industry, and to introduce our innovation in the luxury toys market.

“iBubble is about to revolutionise the way people film underwater, particularly for yacht owners who enjoy the beauty of our oceans, and yacht crews who can utilise it as a perfect tool for inspections and safety."

iBubble is also equipped with a state-of-the-art obstacle avoidance system, which allows it to safely follow a diver while obtaining images, and features real-time image recognition, a unique stabilisation system, and direct surface control.

The retail price of the iBubble is €4,499 when purchased from the company’s website.