In drone fishing, the leader and trace have to survive real fishing conditions without turning your airborne rig into a bulky, unstable mess dangling under the aircraft. The setup that works best is really a small system: braid gives you line capacity, a leader adds abrasion tolerance and something decent to handle, and a heavy trace protects the business end around the bait, hook and teeth where that's needed.
Main line, leader and trace do different jobs
| Rig section | Typical material | Main job |
|---|---|---|
| Main line | PE braid | High strength-to-diameter ratio and long spool capacity |
| Leader | Heavy monofilament or fluorocarbon depending on application | Abrasion resistance, shock/handling section and separation from thin braid |
| Trace | Heavy mono, coated wire or purpose-tied trace | Final protection near bait/hook and tooth/abrasion resistance where required |
DroneFisher's Grinder DropZone 8X braid, for example, is an 8-carrier PE line sold in 600 m and 1000 m spools with breaking strains from 22.7 kg upward. That long spool capacity matters because a drone can place a bait well beyond conventional casting distance, and the KFA Giant Abrasion Monofilament gives you a heavier mono option for the leader section.
Choose the leader for abrasion and handling, not just breaking strain
A leader earns its place any time the line might contact sand, reef, rocks, fish skin or the edge of a boat. It also gives you a thicker section that's genuinely easier to handle than fine braid at the terminal end. Breaking strain is only one variable — diameter, abrasion tolerance, knot behaviour and how stiffly the leader interacts with the rest of the rig all affect how it actually performs on the day.
| Current KFA mono example | Breaking strain listed by DroneFisher |
|---|---|
| Lightest current variant | 16.8 kg |
| Mid current variant | 20.9 kg |
| Heaviest current variant | 23.6 kg |
Those are examples from one product range, not universal recommendations. Heavier drone-fishing rigs may need significantly stronger leader or trace depending on the species you're chasing and the environment you're fishing in.
When does a separate trace make sense?
A trace is the final sacrificial, high-abrasion section right near the hook. Wire or coated-wire traces come into their own where sharp teeth or serious abrasion would chew through monofilament. At time of writing DroneFisher carries KFA pre-tied traces including 90.7 kg and 113.4 kg examples — much heavier than the monofilament figures above, because their job is different again: surviving contact, not stretching or absorbing shock.
Connecting braid to leader
The best connection is the one you can tie correctly and test consistently, every single time. Slim knots pass through rod guides more easily, while swivels simplify rig changes but add hardware and a potential failure point. Whatever method you settle on:
- wet and seat knots correctly for the materials you're using;
- trim tag ends so they can't catch during deployment;
- pull-test the connection before attaching the drone;
- re-tie after any visible abrasion or damage;
- make sure the connection winds onto or through the rod setup without jamming.
Keep terminal hardware out of the release
The bait-release system should grip the intended release loop — nothing else. Not a random swivel, not a hook. Build a dedicated drop loop or attachment point according to your release mechanism's instructions. This keeps the aircraft interface separate from the fishing connection and makes testing repeatable every time you rig up.
Balance matters while the rig is airborne
A very long trace, a loose hook snood or a spinning bait can set up a pendulum swing beneath the aircraft — not something you want mid-flight. Before take-off, lift the completed rig by its release loop and watch how it hangs. Sinker and bait should sit below the drone, while hooks and leader material stay well clear of propellers and landing gear.
Leader and trace inspection checklist
- Run fingers along the leader to feel for nicks or rough sections.
- Inspect coated wire for kinks, broken coating or damaged crimps.
- Check swivels rotate freely and clips close fully.
- Inspect hook points and hook-eye connections.
- Pull-test every connection after re-rigging.
- Confirm the release loop is separate, clean and correctly positioned.
Frequently asked questions
Is drone fishing legal in Australia?
Drone fishing isn't banned outright, but its legality depends on two separate sets of rules: CASA's drone flying rules, and the fishing and land-access rules for wherever you're standing. On the flying side, CASA's standard operating conditions include staying at or below 120 m above ground level, keeping the drone within visual line of sight (your own eyes — not a screen or goggles), flying only in daylight, flying one drone at a time, and keeping at least 30 m from other people without flying over them. Importantly for beach anglers, CASA lists beaches among the populous areas where you shouldn't be flying — so a busy beach can be a problem regardless of what your drone weighs. Registration and pilot accreditation requirements depend on the drone's weight (250 g is the commonly cited threshold) and on whether you're flying recreationally or commercially, and these requirements have been revised more than once in recent years. Layered on top of all that, your state or territory recreational fishing rules still apply, and marine parks, national parks and some council-managed beaches carry extra restrictions. Check CASA's current rules and your local fisheries and land manager before you fly.
How does drone fishing actually work?
You attach your baited rig to a release mechanism fitted to the drone, fly it out beyond the surf or structure, and trigger the release remotely once you're over the spot you want. The line and rig then drop straight down while you retrieve the drone separately and fish the rest of the session as normal, just with your bait sitting well beyond casting range. Worth noting: the visual line-of-sight rule is the practical limit on how far out you can legitimately go, not the drone's transmission range.
How do you make a basic drone fishing rig?
Start with the sections in this guide: braid mainline for capacity, a leader for abrasion resistance and handling, and (if needed) a trace near the hook for teeth or heavy abrasion. Build a dedicated drop loop for the release mechanism, keep the whole thing balanced when it's hanging, and pull-test every connection before it goes anywhere near the drone.
Can you use any drone for fishing, or do you need a special one?
Technically you can rig a release mechanism to many capable drones, but purpose-built fishing drones handle the payload weight, salt exposure and wind conditions far better than a standard camera drone, and they're built with the release hardware already integrated. Keep in mind that adding a payload and a release mechanism changes your take-off weight, which can change which weight-based rules apply to you.
Do you need a licence to drone fish in Australia?
For recreational flying you don't need a Remote Pilot Licence (RePL). You may, however, need to complete CASA's free online accreditation and/or register the drone, depending on its weight and on whether the flight counts as recreational or commercial — and that's exactly the part of the rules that has changed over time, so confirm the current position on CASA's own website rather than relying on a blog post. Commercial use (charters, paid content, anything you're earning from) sits under a separate and stricter set of requirements.
See fishing line and leader, drone fishing rigs and the drone fishing line guide for the rest of the system.