HOVERAir has released further details of its forthcoming water-proof HOVERAir AQUA drone as it makes its debut on Indiegogo.
The forthcoming HOVERAir AQUA has created quite a splash over the summer (ahem), with our story about its announcement being one of the most read pieces over the dog days of August. We now know a lot more about it too, as the drone has just appeared on Indiegogo and there's an accompanying YouTube video now as well.
The crucial data is that shipping is expected to begin in December this year (though, as ever, we should point out the usual caveat emptor about crowd-funding projects). Mass production starts Q4 this year, which is when the first review units will be shipped out.
Early bird pricing is offering a 23% discount over the projected full retail price as well, with the HOVERAir AQUA Standard Combo starting at $999. A Fly More Combo is available at $1199 and a Land and Sea Combo comes in at $1399. These are both 28% off.
The Standard Combo includes 1 x HOVERAir AQUA (with Battery), 1 x Lighthouse + Armband, 1 x Battery Waterproof Bag, 1 x Repair Kit, and 1 x Waterproof Carry Bag. The Fly More Combo adds a charging hub, two smart batteries, and a bag for all three. The Land and Sea Combo further adds a beacon and joysticks and a takeoff/landing pad.
Full prices of all three are: $1299, $1676, and $1963 respectively. The majority of the more expensive ones are already claimed too. Over $1.36 million has been pledged so far, so those emptors are not doing much caveating.
Pretty much this is as was expected. It flies in below that crucial 249 gram weight limit, it's waterproof with what the company claims to be over 15 specific waterproofing adaptations. It also promises 4k capture at 100 fps powered by a 'flagship-level' 1/1.28" CMOS coupled with a custom lens developed for water, and claims level 7 wind resistance (up to 33 knots) and a 33 mph / 55 kph top speed. Flight time is up to 23 minutes
As well as the usual standard tracking routines you would expect from the company, there's also some new stuff that reflects its aquatic nature. A Snorkeling Mode lets the gimbal point downward while AQUA floats on the surface of the water to capture the scene below, and Mount Mode is designed to mount AQUA to your surfboard, kiteboard or SUP. It also features a first for a consumer drone in the shape of a millimeter-wave radar for wave height detection and safe low-altitude flight over water.
It also features 128 GB built-in storage, and has a 1.6″ built-in AMOLED display for live preview, playback, settings, etc. The lens has a hydrophobic coating and self-heating anti-fog capabilities even in humid environments. HOVERAir says a multi-layer optical design, AQUA corrects distortion, cuts glare, and delivers sharper, more color-accurate images from edge to edge.
The armband we speculated on a few weeks ago has been confirmed and is named Lighthouse. Simple controls will allow you to have a fully hands-free experience while on the water controlling take off, landing, and shooting. Like the drone itself it is equipped with Realtime Kinematic positioning which corrects GPS drift and should mean that both units know exactly where they are in relation to each other.
More manual control is possible, but it looks like that will require some of the extra bits and pieces available in the Land and Sea combo.