Drones traditionally have a rigid structure and frame, Diodon is different because it is inflatable and even waterproof, but the undisclosed pricing may concern potential customers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2kynw3RcoE
Designed for the professional/prosumer market by French manufacturer Airvada, Diodon is said to have safety, search and rescue, industrial inspection and military missions as its primary focus.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”DIODON Drone Technology choosed the best fabric during the development of the inflatable structure of the DIODON family. These fabrics are particularly resistants to perforation and cuts in order to protect the inflatable chamber.”[/perfectpullquote]
An added benefit of being inflatable is that it floats and it has also been given full waterproofing, therefore it can even be deployed in heavy rain and take-off from water.
The inflatable arm structure is said to take around 60 seconds to inflate and deflate via an air supply, concerns would however be around penetration into wind, an inflatable structure is lightweight and hollow, therefore it may not fly particularly well in heavy or gusty weather. The website does not state the wind capabilities of this aircraft.
Three models are currently available although their website specification is rather vague, omitting key technical elements such as motor size and type, battery capacity and voltage, speed, autonomous capabilities and other important elements:
| SP20 | MP40 | HP150 | |
| Weight | 200g | 400g | 1500g |
| Payload Examples | HD video downlink | 2-axis stabilised HD video downlink | Optical & LWIR sensors on 3-axis stabilised gimbal |
| Size (Folded) | 20cm x 20cm x 10cm | 30cm x 30cm x 15cm | 40cm x 40cm x 20cm |
| Size (Unfolded) | 60cm x 60cm x 10cm | 80cm x 80cm x 15cm | 150cm x 150cm x 20cm |
| Flight Time | ~20 mins | ~ 30 mins | ~35 mins |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Setup Time | 60s | 60s | 60s |
In addition, pricing is not publically available and consumers are prompted to ‘Ask for a quote’ which is unfortunate for interested customers.
In terms of real-world value, the niche factor for this drone is the inflatable and waterproofed element, besides that the parts look to be fairly standard (off the shelf). The website features no detail of the control method, nor visibility of the transmitter or autonomous features.
We would not expect the baseline pricing to exceed £2,000/2400 EUR for the larger of the three models, subject to specific customisation and sensor choice.
No public reviews of the Diodon drone range appear to be available at this time. This raises concerns as to whether the drone is out in the wild and being tested by real-world customers.
The lack of RRP detail bundled with the very non-technical published specification suggests strongly that this drone may still in development, based on this suspicion we contacted Diodon for clarification and received the following response.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”The pricing will be announced later, our drones are still under development,”, Diodon[/perfectpullquote]
You can read more about Diodon via their official website, available in English and French language:
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