Thanks for the great questions!
@Pete Leare and
@Tim in Florida We've done some water work when it was windy with some chop. We're planning ocean filming very soon. It has been a more common question than we originally anticipated.
We've engineered the water stability, buoyancy, balance, and security of attachments very thoroughly. All of our materials are salt-water safe. We're very confident that the WaterStrider will handle a lot more than the drone itself can handle as it relates to ocean conditions. As of today, our recommendation is that the WaterStrider should be just fine on some swells and light chop. Breaking or splashing wave conditions will very likely get saltwater on the drone and although the WaterStrider should be fine, the drone may not fare as well.
In any case, saltwater operations should be immediately followed by a thorough wipe-down with a damp cloth.
From an emergency landing standpoint (e.g. return to home over water or even a hard hit on the water), we're confident that the WaterStrider should keep the drone afloat on top of the water for recovery. We've designed it to float the drone with only three landing pods, so even if one pod managed to get torn loose (which would be
really hard to do), recovery should be possible.
Just as a reminder, we are offering a guarantee to Kickstarter backers. If for any reason you are unhappy with WaterStrider, return it within 30 days for a full refund. We truly believe in the product and we also believe in happy and satisfied customers. The risk is pretty low for you. Also, the campaign ends on Monday!! We'd love your support.