When you think of a drone, you probably think of a small device with propellers in the air above – but according to HoverAir, the next big step in drone technology could take drones out of the air and into the water. The new HoverAir Aqua is the first 100% waterproof drone.
The drone is designed to be smart too. It’s the second HoverAir drone to be self-flying, and it uses AI to track subjects and automatically capture video. It has 15 different flight modes that you can use for various types of footage. Plus, there’s a small display on the drone itself that can allow the user to get a preview of footage being captured.
So what’s the point of its waterproof design? Well, it’s not necessarily built to dive underwater, but instead be useful for capturing footage of activities like kayaking, surfing, or paddling. Typical drones would be damaged if they fell into the water, but the Aqua is both designed to be buoyant and has an IP67 water resistance rating to help get around that issue.
While the HoverAir Aqua doesn’t have a traditional remote, it does support an accessory that HoverAir calls the Lighthouse, which is a small fob with buttons for things like taking off, landing, and recording. You don’t have to hold it while you’re surfing either – it can be worn as an armband.
The HoverAir Aqua also has a relatively high-quality camera. It can capture 4K footage at up to 100 frames per second with HDR support. It also has 2x digital zoom, which can help it better frame a shot. Its battery life is pretty typical for a drone, sitting at 23 minutes.
The HoverAir Aqua is available on Indiegogo now with early bird pricing of $999. You can learn more about it at hoverair.com.
Photography courtesy of HoverAir.