Xpece―The Future of Flight in Surf Fishing

Technology affects every structured activity in human society; certainly this is the case with all forms of fishing. For nearly a century, innovations in equipment and strategies have pushed beach-bound shark anglers to better optimize their success rates. In such a competitive world, any discovered advantage will be utilized and relied upon. For surf anglers, in particular the hardcore shark fishermen, bait deployment methods have evolved steadily ever since the introduction of the sport.

In the beginning, while hand-lobbing big baits or swimming through the breakers holding bloody chunks of fish, anglers did what they had to do in order to get enticing baits well out into the water. While the goal has remained the same, deployment methods have changed dramatically over the years. More than twenty years I kayaked hundreds of baits out, covering many miles in the process. This became the traditional practice for the average shark fisherman for a good long while. During the kayak-centric years, a few folks began utilizing jet skis and inflatable motor boats to deploy their baits.

More recently, new advances in technology have made it possible for sharkers to get decent-sized baits several hundred yards away from the beach, without even getting wet. On whirring blades, baits are now commonly taking flight in a revolutionary new way, one which would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago. Specialized fishing drones have entered the market, and they've shaken up the shark fishing world like a sudden storm.

Because of the specific purposes motivating my own personal adventures, I typically run giant baits out, hoping to entice bites from giant sharks. I've experimented for nearly ten years now with the seemingly dark magic of drone deployment. Well before specialized fishing drones appeared on the market, I was rigging wire coat-hangers on early generation DJI Phantoms to modify them for makeshift bait-deployment duties. While this restricted me to using a light payload like a whole whiting or something similar, the fact I could even fly a shark bait out into the depths filled me with a sense of awe.

As advances in technology made the drones better suited to our purposes, the desire for them exploded in the land-based sharking world. Various companies leapt at the opportunity, making claims about the superiority of their devices. Now, at least half a dozen drone makers have established themselves at a significant level in the market, some of which I've either worked with or assisted in some capacity.

Today, the best fishing drones are rated as safe for carrying six to eight-pound payloads, a significant increase over early models. But like many other newly designed products, flaws with the new drones do still exist. Until recently, almost all drones came from outside the shores of the United States. This meant users needing customer support often experienced nightmares getting help.

Through much of these growing pains, the Swell Pro company has been popular because they make drones capable of doing what we as sharkers need. Lately, a revolutionary drone company has emerged, and they're based right here in the USA. Xpece, a Florida company, has been experimenting with and building specialized waterproof and underwater drones since 2010.

Being based in the USA has major advantages, primarily in the forms of service and customer support. Xpece believes communication with their customers is a key to continual development of their company and of the drones they make. They invest as much into service as they do into the design process. The team wants to learn from both the good and bad things that happen when people use their drones, allowing them to use all information as a tool to continually improve their products. They willingly field and answer questions from customers, and they do so without a language barrier coming into play. They also apply proven technologies in new ways, when they know new users may need guidance.

Unlike many of their foreign competitors, the Xpece crew are avid fishermen who based the design of their flagship drone around the needs they'd identified over years spent fishing the beaches. Their purpose was to simplify running and controlling the drone. This meant excluding unnecessary apps and additional setups, so people using them can just focus on the fishing.

With this concept in mind, they've created the Xpece One fishing drone. The release of this model on January 1st of this year really brought the Xpece name into the spotlight among surf and shark fishermen across the nation. The drone is built with a waterproof, buoyant uni-body structure, meaning it has fewer moving parts and fewer failure points than its competitors. In addition, their unique battery utilizes a new, self-managing smart design which fights normal degrading issues. In essence, the battery was designed to work to top capability with minimal maintenance, allowing anglers to focus on tasks related to fishing, rather than keeping batteries charged.

I've personally owned and used about ten different drones for various fishing purposes over the past decade, including all the major brands. Each brand has its positives and negatives. When I had a chance to switch to Xpece after hearing positive testimonials from close friends, I got my Xpece One in September and have never regretted it.

This drone is easy to use and efficient in its performance, well able to carry a seven-pound payload for up to about a mile. Its HD camera is of high quality, providing clear imagery in real time on the remote screen. Its payload release and return-to-home functions operate smoothly and effortlessly. I jumped right in with both feet on the first deployment with the drone, loading it with a large section of stingray weighing about the limit of its safe carrying capacity. I deployed the bait with ease several hundred yards out; the drone flew with impressive stability in moderate wind, and I became a complete fan of Xpece.

Currently, several brands of drones prove capable of deploying baits safely and successfully well away from shore if no random technical issues arise. I'd say the future is extremely bright for Xpece, and I recommend the Xpece One as the best all-around drone on the market, partly because of the quality of the team's support system. No one wants to spend money on fishing tools like these without confidence they'll receive support if and when they need it. I believe this company's commitment to service and support could help them rise to the pinnacle of the industry. For purchasing or general information about the company and the Xpece One, visit xpece.com.