Equipment in Focus: CHASING Underwater Drones

CHASING’s range of underwater drones (also known as Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles – ROUVs) includes high-end consumer and heavy duty industrial-grade models.  The drones capture high resolution underwater images and video, allowing unobtrusive, accessible monitoring, surveying or exploration of aquatic spaces. With technological applications ranging from reef monitoring and marine ecological assessments to aquacultural inspection and general exploration, these innovative devices are a powerful tool for efficient data collection and observation.  

Underwater drones can alleviate health and safety concerns, save time, money, resources and the need for specialist personnel. By providing high-resolution imagery and precise manoeuvrability, this technology allows for the safe, efficient observation and sampling of aquatic environments whilst minimising harm or disturbance.  

In this blog, we introduce you to CHASING’s underwater drones – the Gladius Mini S, the M2 S, M2 PRO and the M2 PRO MAX.  

CHASING Gladius Mini S in field


Consumer Models

Gladius Mini S

CHASING Gladius Mini S droneThe Gladius Mini S is a highly portable consumer-grade drone for underwater exploration. Quick to deploy, with a maximum operating time of around four hours, the Gladius Mini S requires little preparation to get started and can be operated by one person– simply attach the tether, controller and accessories, and connect your mobile phone to the CHASING app. The Gladius can operate in temperatures between –10 and +45°C, and at depths up to 100m. High-quality video and still images are captured with the 4K image stabilised camera and powerful integrated lights, producing excellent underwater imagery. The Gladius Mini S has one mounting point, which can support accessories such as the grabber claw and underwater GoPro mount. 

The Gladius Mini S is available in four packs: Standard pack with a 100m tether, Standard pack with a 200m tether, Flash pack containing grabber claw B and a 100m tether, and a Flash pack containing grabber claw B and a 200m tether.  

  • An upper-end consumer-grade drone 
  • 100m max operating depth 
  • Five thrusters 
  • 100m or 200m tether included (dependant on package) 
  • One mounting point 

See the Gladius Mini S underwater drone in action

We also recently tested the Gladius Mini S in Plymouth Sound, watch our short video to see it in action.

 

 


Industrial Models  

Alongside the consumer model, there are a number of industrial-grade drones that are better suited for larger scale projects – the CHASING M2 S, M2 PRO and the M2 PRO MAX. The main advantage of these models is the use of interchangeable batteries, additional accessories and an increased tether length for longer sessions. Each industrial model benefits from a 4K camera, up to 4 hours run time, 150° field of view, e-reel compatibility, and powerful vectored thrusters allowing for precise movement. Here, we explore these models a little further, outlining the differences between each drone and their benefits.  

Find a summary of the M2 series specifications below: 

Comparison table of CHASING drones

CHASING M2 S

CHASING M2 SMarking the first step up from consumer models, the CHASING M2 S benefits from eight thrusters for maximum stability and a high response speed. The unit features multiple accessory ports that are suitable for grabber arms, distance lock sonars, laser scalers and floodlights, as well as third-party accessories such as GoPro cameras. With the ability to swap batteries, and a greater range of compatible accessories, the M2 S is equipped for longer sessions with increased capabilities. An upgraded colour restoration algorithm improves the image transparency, clarity, colour, layering and noise on the M2 S, and live feed can be streamed onto multiple devices.  

This model is available in three packages, each with varied tether lengths, accessories and spare parts. 

  • An entry-level industrial drone 
  • 100m max operating depth 
  • 8 thrusters 
  • 200m tether included 
  • One mounting point 
  • More compatible accessories than consumer models*

*To view the full range of compatible accessories please see the above table 

CHASING M2 PRO

CHASING M2 PRO underwater droneThe M2 PRO has an increased operating depth and is compatible with more accessories than previous models. It is the first model that is compatible with the Shore-based Power Supply System (SPSS), allowing for unrestricted power supply to enable 24/7 operation. It is also the first to accommodate the control console – a professional platform designed to control the drone, AC power, external lights and other accessories. The M2 PRO can operate at depths of 150m and is designed to house larger batteries to accommodate an increase in drone size and accessory power.  

The M2 PRO is available in two packages: Professional and Advanced.  

  • A mid-range industrial drone 
  • 150m max operating depth 
  • 8 thrusters 
  • 200m tether included 
  • One mounting point 
  • Compatible with the Shore-based Power Supply System and the control console 
  • An increased range of compatible accessories 

CHASING M2 PRO MAX

CHASING M2 PRO MAX underwater droneThe M2 PRO MAX is the most advanced model in our CHASING range, presenting a top-of-the-line industrial drone for NGO’s, researchers, government bodies and enterprise users. This upper-level model has five mounting points to attach an assortment of around 20 compatible accessories, including water samplers, sonar and sediment samplers. Eight powerful thrusters propel this drone to depths of up to 200m with 360° movement. For improved image clarity, the M2 PRO MAX has offset LED’s, helping to solve interference by the reflection of matter in front of the camera lens.  

The M2 Pro Max is available in two packages: Professional and Advanced. 

  • Top-of-the-line industrial drone 
  • 200m max operating depth 
  • Eight thrusters 
  • 200m tether included 
  • Five mounting points 
  • Compatible with the Shore-based Power Supply System and the control console 
  • Over 20 compatible accessories 

Applications  

Deep sea coral polyps

Underwater drones, or ROUVs, provide an alternative, accessible tool for ecological and scientific research. Their applications extend far beyond observation, enabling researchers to conduct detailed ecosystem health evaluations, monitor invasive or threatened species, and perform habitat inspections – all with the capability to collect samples for off-site analysis. From assessing the source of underwater pollution, to conducting biodiversity surveys, these drones provide high-resolution imagery and real-time data, facilitating well-evidenced conservation action. Their ability to perform targeted water and physical sampling allows for detailed analysis of aquatic environments, which can reveal insights into aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem health.  

Outside of its ecological applications, this technology has potential in search and rescue operations, item recovery, hull and dock inspection and energy facility inspection.  


Find the CHASING range and accessories on the NHBS website here. Check out our latest YouTube video of the Gladius Mini S in action here.

See the Gladius Mini S underwater drone in action

If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913. 

Interview with Devon’s Living Churchyard Project

Over the last 6 months, NHBS has had the opportunity to work alongside Devon’s Living Churchyard Project by donating a number of bat and bird boxes to be installed in a range of churches across Devon to support local wildlife. This initiative aims to manage churchyards while also encouraging wildlife, biodiversity and promoting sustainable management practices.

We recently spoke with David Curry, former Voluntary Environmental Advisor at the Living Churchyard Project, about his role, the importance of preserving these habitats and more.


Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you first became interested in biodiversity, particularly within churchyards?

I began my career working as Keeper of Natural History at Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery, and later St. Albans museums in Hertfordshire. I am now retired, having worked mainly in local government for 50 years, where I first worked in heritage departments and planning.  

My main role in planning was as an enabler – working with community groups in developing and managing wildlife sites – these ranged from changing derelict chalk stream cress beds into chalk wetlands, to planning and establishing community orchards ranging in size from 1ha to 72ha. 

I’m an old-fashioned naturalist, today it’s called biodiversity. 

In 1986 the Living Churchyard Project was set up by the Arthur Rank Centre to encourage the use of churchyards as a community environmental resource and to raise environmental awareness. I took an active interest in the project and began to visit and record churchyards in my area. I then lead the Devon Living Churchyards Project in a voluntary capacity for the Church of England’s Diocese of Exeter, while working in partnership with the national charity Caring for God’s Acre project.   

18 leaves etc. Danson Park by Brian Toward, via flickr.
18 leaves etc. Danson Park by Brian Toward, via flickr.

What does the role of a voluntary Environmental Advisor entail?

September 2023 saw the publication of the 4th State of Nature (SON) Report.  

The report provides the most comprehensive overview ever of species trends across the UK, laying bare the stark fact that nature is still seriously declining across a country that is already one of the most nature-depleted in the world. 

The data shows that since 1970, UK species have declined by about 19% on average, and nearly 1 in 6 species (16.1%) are now threatened with extinction. This is a timely reminder, if we needed it, that the nature crisis isn’t restricted to far-off places like the Amazon or Great Barrier Reef – it is right here, on our doorstep. We are losing familiar wildlife that we cherish including the Hazel Dormouse and Skylark.  

SON goes beyond the bare statistics to assess the evidence behind these differences, it also identifies the actions that are needed to recover nature. To quote the report; “We have never had a better understanding of the State of Nature and what is needed to fix it.” 

Exeter Diocese 

The Diocese of Exeter is part of the Church of England and covers the whole of Devon. There are over 600 churches in the diocese, many of them rural, and there are over 2,000ha of glebelands (areas of land owned by the Church of England) which are used as a source of income through rents etc. 

Opportunities 

So, what are the issues that that needed to be addressed? And what are the opportunities to address them? 

Evidence from the State of Nature report, and elsewhere, points to four big on-the-ground changes that we can take to accelerate nature recovery: 

  1. Improve the quality of our protected sites on land and at sea. These places have been chosen because they are special for nature, and wildlife should be thriving within them, yet too many are currently in poor condition. 
  2. Create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. Our wildlife needs more space, and we know that many species can benefit from habitats that are quick to create such as ponds, scrubby habitats and un-trimmed hedgerows. 
  3. Reducing pollution on land (notably pesticides and excess fertilisers) and reducing the pressure on marine environments. This means more wildlife-friendly farming, forestry and fisheries. 
  4. Targeted species recovery action. This can be very effective when applied to a high proportion of a species’ population, and is also key to bringing back lost species. 

Churchyards and their unique habitats provide a recipe for recovery in that they can be used to create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. But also, the local communities must have the chance to be part of these changes. Establishing a Nature Recovery Network of ‘honeypot’ churches has been key. A pilot scheme working with the South Devon National Landscapes Life on the Edge project and Buglife has surveyed churches along the South Devon B Line from Wembury near Plymouth to Brixham (2023/2024). From the data collected, we will be able to provide churchyard management action plans to improve the biodiversity of each site, creating ‘honeypot’ churches. 

In Conclusion 

The picture of ongoing nature loss painted by the SON report is stark. This isn’t just sad – nature loss undermines our economy, food systems and health and wellbeing. So, we owe it to nature, and ourselves, to make sure that it is the last State of Nature report to chart continuing decline. Churchyards, in particular the Living Churchyards project, can make a positive contribution towards nature recovery in Devon and ensure that the next SON report can document the start of nature bouncing back. 

“Nature’s recovery in Devon is not something we can achieve alone. It needs the support of individuals, communities, businesses and schools.” Devon Wildlife Trust 

Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) by Peter O'Connor, via flickr.
Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) by Peter O’Connor, via flickr.

Why do you think creating new habitats, and restoring old ones, is important for these spaces, and which species are you hoping to attract to the area with the installation of our habitat boxes? 

Encouraging a diversity of species on a site is important. Installing the NHBS habitat boxes will provide both shelter and protection to various species such as bats, swifts, and bees. 

Why do you think these vital areas of biodiversity are so often overlooked, and how do you think we can work to improve their future preservation? 

Mention churchyards to anyone and they will usually shrug their shoulders. 

A churchyard is many things to many people; 

  • A pleasant, reflective place for the congregation and visitors 
  • An environment in keeping with the function of burial and the scattering of cremated remains 
  • A respected and cared for part of our environment 

No one mentions its potential as a sanctuary for wildlife. That’s the problem. People will walk past a church cemetery without giving a thought to looking inside, after all it’s a cemetery containing graves and memorials for the dead. 

Raising awareness about the wildlife in the churchyard or the peace and tranquillity takes priority.  We need to make the entrance more welcoming with appropriate signage. 

‘People protect what they love’ – Jacque Yves Cousteau. This quote encapsulates the basic human instinct that drives us to safeguard and preserve the things that hold a special place in our hearts. Whether it be our loved ones, our communities or nature. At its core, this quote highlights the importance of connectiveness. Our modern culture has disconnected us from nature, and as ambassadors for nature we need to reconnect people, encourage people to understand and love nature and to be motivated to protect it. 

Nature can also trigger positive emotions, reduce stress, increase prosocial behaviour, and improve health and wellness.

Hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) by Peter O'Connor, via flickr.
Hart’s-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) by Peter O’Connor, via flickr.

What are the most interesting species that you’ve found in some of the churchyards you’ve visit? 

Gosh, how long is a piece of string? Because churchyards have been oases in space and time, largely immune from activities beyond their walls, they have become sanctuaries for a wide range of species. Churchyards provide a mosaic of habitats, from meadowland to woodland edge, dense hedges, short and long grass cover and a variety of ‘cliff’ and rock habitats in the form of the church wall and gravestones. They can harbour a startling number (often many hundreds) of species and no doubt conceal rare and interesting creatures and plants. The range of rock types on headstones are of special value to lichens and other lowly plants, some of which may be very rare. 

Old cob boundary walls maybe especially interesting, offering hole nesting species including many species of solitary bees with places to lay eggs. These in turn attract the inevitable parasites, some of which are often over-looked but impressively sci-fi in appearance. Part of the peregrine falcon ‘come back’ after they dwindled to near extinction was fuelled by the nest site opportunities of church buildings – they are now a regular site perched on bell towers. Likewise, the shocking decline of swifts is now being reversed thanks to the installation of nest boxes in bell towers. 

4 images in a square showing 4 different species found in Exeter Diocese graveyards.

Love Your Burial Ground Week, celebrated every June, is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of churchyards and celebrate their natural diversity. How can the local community get involved? 

Saturday 7th June to Sunday the 15th June 2025. 

Love Your Burial Ground Week is a celebratory week which has been running for many years. Caring for God’s Acre has been encouraging all who help to look after churchyards, chapel yards and cemeteries to celebrate these fantastic places in the lovely month of June – in any way you choose.  

We’ve seen history talks, picnics, bat walks, storytelling, volunteering work parties and even abseiling teddy bears!

Churches Count on Nature 2025 runs at the same time as Love Your Burial Ground Week, and focuses on the brilliant wildlife to be found in churchyards and chapel yards. It is a joint initiative promoted by Caring for God’s Acre, the Church of England, the Church in Wales and A Rocha UK. 

In the months leading up to June we shall be working with Caring for God’s Acre to encourage church communities throughout Devon to take part in this exciting event. There is a wealth of information on how you can open your churchyard to visitors provided by Caring for Gods Acre.

Equipment in Focus: BirdMic Parabolic Microphone

The BirdMic is a compact, directional parabolic microphone.  Intended for bird calls, BirdMic allows users to listen, record and identify species on their smartphone in real time with the help of a bird identification app, such as Merlin Bird ID. It is self-powered, easy to use, and requires no previous experience to get started.

BirdMic in use in the countryside


BirdMic Kit Includes:  

  • Parabolic dish (25cm diameter) 
  • Omnidirectional microphone 
  • Audio interface (to connect your smartphone, camera or field recorder) 
  • Headphones 
  • Hand grip 
  • Windshield 
  • Flash shoe adapter 
  • Various cables and adapters for smart phone connection 
  • Extension tube to attach field recorder 
  • Carrying bag 

Ideal for the capture of bird song, BirdMic features a high sensitivity (-24dB), low noise (S/N 80dB) omnidirectional microphone to provide crisp recordings with excellent clarity. It is most suited to sounds above 1,500Hz, making it ideal for bird song.  

The parabolic dish is made from durable ABS material and amplifies sound through collecting and focussing sound waves – waves bounce from the inner face of the dish and are directed onto the microphone at the centre, isolated and amplified and transmitted to a digital recording device. 

Attaching directly to the parabolic dish, the audio interface allows the connection of a smartphone which can also be mounted via the included brackets. Once connected, simply open an automatic ID app, like Merlin, to record birds in real-time. Headphones can also be connected for live monitoring. 

BirdMic in the field

Tom took BirdMic along the banks of the River Dart to test the performance of the microphone and see how it compares to using just a smartphone. 

We simply set up the Birdmic, plugged in a smartphone and turned on the audio interface. With an overall diameter of 25cm and a weight of 1kg, the whole set up was extremely easy to transport 

A screenshot of the Merlin app spectrogram
Spectrogram of bird song captured with BirdMic using Merlin.

Our thoughts

We were really impressed with the BirdMic! It was very simple to assemble and use, and worked well to isolate and amplify bird sound in different conditions.  

At just 1kg, it is very lightweight – the overall design makes this parabolic easy to walk around with, and its handy size and weight minimises arm strain when holding the microphone.  The highly sensitive microphone worked well and was able to pick up bird song from a much greater distance than a smartphone. The directional microphone makes it ideal for homing in on a particular song, and allows the user to pinpoint the birds location. This also helps to eliminate any underlying noise in the background of the recording – for instance, water flow, wind or traffic noise.

We feel the Birdmic offers great value and is very easy to use. It is an entry-level parabolic that is ideal for a keen birdwatcher, or birding and naturalist groups looking to capture, listen to or record bird sound. As a lightweight, sturdy recorder, there is also significant potential for educational purposes, and it could be utilised in outdoor education clubs and classes to encourage an interest in nature by younger generations.

Birdmic in use along the river dart


Find the BirdMic available exclusively on the NHBS website here. Our full range of sound recorders can be found here. 

If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.