The HoverAir X1 wasn't a traditional drone. People with little interest in piloting, like my colleague Thomas Ricker, use the $350, highly crash-resistant stand-alone camera to easily get aerial video with the push of two buttons. But it's not particularly high quality video, it's not particularly fast and you can't fly it very far even if you wanted to.
That's where the new HoverAir X1 Pro and X1 Promax come into play.
Zero Zero Robotics has just put both drones on sale on IndiegogoWe briefly tested them in person and they appear to be an improvement over the X1 in virtually every way.
While they are a bit larger and heavier, they still fit into a cargo pants pocket and weigh less than 200 grams, meaning they shouldn't need to be registered with aviation authorities as they are below the typical 250 gram limit.
In exchange for that size increase, they now shoot video footage in 4K60 or 8K30, respectively; have a wider field of view; last 4.5 minutes longer on a charge (16 minutes total); follow you at nearly twice the speed (26 mph); can withstand higher levels of wind (10.7 m/s); support microSD storage so you can finally store more than 32GB of video footage; and offer a two-axis gimbal for increased video stability, compared to just one axis previously.
In addition to recording in 8K30, the Promax model can also record in 4K at 120 frames per second for a slow-motion effect and in 4K HDR in 10-bit HLG at up to 60fps. Both drones also record video at 24fps at all resolutions if you’re looking for a more cinematic look. The original X1 only offered 30fps and 60fps.
While they don't have GPS yet, they do have a new visual positioning system that allows them to fly over water, snow, and cliffs (the original got confused and landed slowly, which was bad!).
And, for those who actually want to frame shots or pilot a drone themselves, the Zero Zero features a multi-part modular controller system called the Beacon with its own built-in 1.78-inch OLED display.
On its own, the $129 Beacon should be a much more capable way to connect to the X1 Pro or Promax than your phone. It offers a one-kilometer video transmission range (which still pales in comparison to DJI’s up-to-20km drones), acts as a tracker to help the drone follow you, and has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a microphone for recording audio and some voice commands.
But if you add one of Zero Zero's tiny $69 modular joystick controllers, you can now manually point the drone with one hand and extend the Beacon's battery life from an hour to an hour and a half. two joysticks, and you get a full gamepad-style drone controller, plus a shelf for your smartphone as an extra monitor underneath.
The company also designed a $169 “Power Case” that gives you 2.5 drone charges (40 minutes of flight time, it claims) by simply sliding the folded drone in, and my colleague Owen Grove spotted a $69 ND filter set during his hands-on experience, as well as a $79 charging hub for multiple batteries.
DJI has set the bar very high very The price is high for consumer drones like these, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Zero Zero hasn’t yet caught up with image quality, reliable connectivity, or collision avoidance. (These drones now have a time-of-flight proximity sensor and/or camera on the back, but it only protects that side of the drone from crashes.) DJI’s $759 Mini 4 Pro has omnidirectional avoidance, nearly three times the battery life, and a much longer range.
But the advantages of HoverAir are that their drones are cheaper, easier, more durable and far Drones are quicker to use, and that doesn't look like it's going to change today. Owen launched one of them from his hand without any instructions whatsoever, simply by pressing two buttons. These new drones will sell for $499 and $699 respectively, with discounts for early adopters on Indiegogo, while the original X1 looks set to remain at $350.
DJI also appears to be almost ready to announce its own affordable, easy-to-launch drone priced around $350: it's called the DJI Neo.
Zero Zero says it should start shipping its new drones in October, and unlike most Indiegogo projects, this one will come with a guaranteeZero Zero says it is the first Indiegogo partner for a new Shipping Guarantee program that guarantees you a full refund if the product is not shipped within the promised time frame, because Indiegogo will hold funds to process those refunds. If they don't ship.
“By offering a guarantee that backers will receive their products or money back, we are improving the overall crowdfunding experience and encouraging more people to support innovative projects,” Indiegogo CEO Becky Center writes in Zero Zero’s press release.
Here is the Zero Zero specs comparison between HoverAir X1, X1 Pro and X1 Promax:
