Designed to float
HOVERAir had already provided initial insights into the Aqua drone in teasers released at the beginning of August. Now, all the technical details are available.
The Aqua is designed to float and is IP67 certified. The orange casing protects the control electronics and motors, while its amphibious design allows the drone to take off and land both on land and directly in the water.
Control is manual or via automatic tracking. The drone recognizes the user or their sports equipment and follows them independently. Flight path, altitude, and speed are dynamically adjusted to keep the pilot in view. A virtual safety zone ensures that the drone automatically returns as soon as it strays too far away.
With a top speed of 55 km/h and wind resistance up to level 7 (up to 33 knots), the Aqua is designed to remain stable even in strong winds and at high speeds.
Take-off weight under 250 grams
With its weight of 249 grams, it falls into a category with simplified regulations in many countries. In Germany, drones with a take-off weight of 250 grams or less are permitted to operate in the open category A1. They are therefore permitted to fly near people, but not over crowds or directly above bystanders.
A special drone license is not required, but registration as an operator with the Federal Aviation Office (LBA) and liability insurance are required.
Camera with water-optimized optics
For image capture, the HOVERAir Aqua relies on a 1/1,28-inch CMOS sensor, water-optimized optics, and a hydrophobically coated lens with a heating function to prevent fogging. It records in 4K at up to 100 frames per second, and slow motion in 1080p at 100 fps is also possible.
The electronic stabilization combines gimbal mechanics with EIS and horizon leveling to produce smooth footage even in rough seas or strong winds. Recordings are stored on an internal 128 GB UFS 2.2 storage device. SD card expansion is not supported. According to the manufacturer, the maximum flight time is up to 23 minutes.
Wrist control
A key accessory is the Lighthouse wristband, which is worn on the wrist like a remote control. This can be used to trigger takeoff, landing, change modes, or a recall. Control is also possible via beacon, joystick, or the X1 app. An integrated 1,6-inch AMOLED display on the drone shows live images and enables direct playback on-site.
Technical data of the HOVERAir Aqua
| Dimensions | 202 × 206 × 64 mm |
| Weight | 249 g |
| Maximum speed | 55 km/h |
| Maximum flight time | 23 Minutes |
| Maximum operating time | 150 minutes (mount mode) |
| Wind resistance | Level 7 (up to 33 knots) |
| Water resistance | IP67K |
| Buoyancy | Neutral – takeoff and landing on water |
| video Resolution | Landscape: 4K (3840 × 2160) @120/60/50/30/25/24 fps 2.7K (2720 × 1530) @120/60/50/30/25/24 fps 1080p (1920×1080) @100/60/50/30/25/24 fps Vertical: 4K (2160 × 3840) @30/25/24 fps |
| Slow Motion | 4K @100 fps; 1080p @100 fps |
| picture resolution | 12 MP with HDR support |
| Video modes | Normal, HDR, H-Log (10 bit), Slow Motion, Vertical |
| image sensor | 1 / 1,28 "CMOS |
| lens | Hydrophobic lens with anti-fog heating technology, f/2.55, 18 mm 95mm equivalent, FOV 2°, XNUMXx digital zoom |
| Video stabilization | 1-axis gimbal + EIS + horizon leveling (SmoothCapture 3.0) |
| Max. Video bit rate | 160 Mbps |
| Gimbal area | Inclination: -90 ° to + 30 ° |
| flight modes | 15+ modes including snorkel mode and mount mode |
| Operating temperature range | -5 ° C to 40 ° C |
| battery capacity | 2013 mAh |
| Internal memory | 128 GB (UFS 2.2, no SD support) |
| Navigation | GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, GLONASS, RTK (with Lighthouse), VIO |
| Maximum flight altitude | 120 m (observe local regulations) |
| Maximum take-off altitude | 5500 m |
| Transmission Distance | Beacon up to 1 km |
| frequencies | 868/915 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz |
| Accessories | Lighthouse, board and boat mount, carrying case, charging hub, other accessories |
| Controller | Automated with Lighthouse, optional Beacon & Joystick, X1 App |
Price and availability
The HOVERAir Aqua will initially be Indiegogo campaign The early bird price is $999. Anyone who wants to see the drone in action can visit Zero Zero Robotics at the IFA in Berlin (Hall 20, Booth 103).
Source: Press release
