Anyone that has hiked in harsh weather with their expensive drone or camera can attest to the possible dangers of water damage to their equipment. A waterproof bag will surely take away any concerns of rain damage, so here’s a test of one brand out of many other capable brands which offer great protection against water. This one test in particular, was done on a dry bag by a company called SealLine, and it is their 115L Boundary Pack, but do note that the 70L one will also work. This was chosen because of its capability to fold into a hiking bag and unfold later to cover that same bag and more.
Since this dry bag was bought secondhand, it was first filled with water to check for leaks. This was inspected by filling up the bag with water at about a quarter of the bag’s height. It was then rolled down and examined for leaks.
Submerging Water Test
The P4P and most of the stock contents were removed from the case and replaced with coins equivalent to the same weight wrapped in brown paper bags. The stock case was then placed in the original packaging box it came with. The brown paper bag and the cardboard case served as a visible indicator for any water leaks. It was then placed inside the dry bag and sealed for testing.
Test Conclusion
The dry bag worked! Some dry bags have valves to release the air, but in this case, it may not be so necessary since the air can actually keep one floated. The 115L bag didn’t show any leaks, and it can also be used as a flotation device. This was difficult to hold underwater since it just kept popping back up. The dry bag even kept me from sinking to the bottom from a jump into the pool, which was impressive since I weight around 185lbs. If this can hold up in this test, then the dry bag can certainly keep water away in rain or snowy conditions.
Dry Bag Specifically for the Phantom 4
C11 has created two dry bags for the Phantom 4. Their designs are slim fit, but it is made to store a stock phantom 4 case. The owner of the company said the Phantom 4 Pro was a tight fit, so the p4p might still work with these Phantom 4 specific bags. Personally, these have not been tested, but C11 claims that it stayed dry with their 2 meter underwater test. They said it’ll “…be fine if your Phantom 4 will dive into the water for [a] short period [of] time. But don’t try to take it with you for [a] long deep dive.” For anyone interested, they sell a standard waterproof backpack for $49.99, and they also have a premium waterproof backpack enforced with more cushion for $79.99.
Protect your Investment
Dry bags can save your expensive gear, and it’s a great alternative to an expensive Pelican case since it costs less, and it’s more portable. Whichever dry bag company you go with, make sure you test it out before plunging into a river or taking it up on a snowy terrain. The 115L SealLine was a little on the bulky side after it closed, but it served well as a foldable backpack and flotation device. The C11 looks like a great deal, but the blatant “Phantom 4” words being displayed is a red flag for thieves. Most dry bags will work for waterproofing your drone equipment, so shop around and check out which one fits for your setup.
Thank you for reading!
