Air Hogs - Velocity - Divemaster - Grey

Comments about Spin Master 1001130 Air Hogs - Velocity - Divemaster - Grey:

I have always wanted an rc sub since I was about 4 and obsessed with ocean exploration and shipwrecks. Naturally I bought the white one that looks like Alvin, the sub that found the Titanic. I'm 21 now and my inner child is ecstatic. The sub is tiny but feels very well made for the size. Not flimsy at all. The sub has forward, reverse, up, down, left, and right. This sub is unlike any others I've seen for the price due to the controls. This is a static dive sub, meaning it can go up and down without having to go forward or backwards. It has an internal ballast tank that takes in or pumps out water depending on the depth you want the sub at. Most small inexpensive rc subs use angled propellers to dive and the sub is positively buoyant, or floats, so when you stop diving the sub rises. This is not the case with the Divemaster. Another thing I was surprised with was the left and right. You don't have to go forward or backward to turn. You could stay in one spot and spin like a top. Forward and backward are a joy as well, speedy when you want it but very controllable when finesse is used. Sub is quick on the surface and underwater. It is maneuverable enough to drive around and through one of those hollow fish tank castle things, or land it inside a coffee mug in the kitchen sink. It has a red LED light on the front kind of like a search light, and one on top to help locate it, I guess. One feature I found very useful was the fail safes. When the sub runs out of battery and needs to be charged, the light blinks and the sub dumps all the ballast, popping back to the surface. This also happens after 5 minutes of inactivity. The only thing thats not perfect about this sub is that its so light, the water tension at the surface actually holds it up and makes it difficult for it to dive. I found that taking on maximum ballast and wiggling the sub left and right to break the hold of the water until it sinks will work. Another temporary problem is that air can get trapped in the ballast inlet on the bottom or near the propellor. I've remedied this by swirling the back end of the sub about in the water before i place it in, and then hold the sub upside down to let the bubbles out of the ballast inlet. It should sit evenly in the water when all the trapped air is out. Run time is probably about 20 minutes and same for the charging time. This sub blew me away for the price. If you want a fun submersible for the fishtank or kitchen sink (not sure about pool or outside because infrared is finicky in the sunlight) this is the vessel for you. Happy exploring.