So many people on Instagram asked me to fully review this drone, so this is my take on it based on around 8 outings in a range of locations and environments. Needless to say, I’ve put it through its paces to get a full picture of its capabilities as best as I can!
Full disclosure: This review is not affiliated with Zero Zero Robotics and is completely my own opinion based on my experience of using this unit. I brought this drone second-hand from EBay, which voids the warranty. Zero Zero Robotics is currently testing an updated and improved version of this drone (Hover Air x1 Pro) at the time of writing.
So first, some basic specs pulled from HoverAir’s website. This drone weighs an impressively light 125g and shoots using a 2.7K ultra HD camera mounted on a swivel. It has a maximum flight height of 15m above the ground, and onboard storage is 32GB. It operates using the two buttons on the top; one for power and to activate the 3 second palm launch, and one to cycle through the range of pre-set flight patterns that are offered. These include follow, orbital, hover, snapshot, and pan out, plus other more customised options that can track you from in-front or the side. It only tracks people, not animals or vehicles, but it has manual controls via the app. The app also lets you record audio and customise the flight patterns by altering height, distance etc. You can land the drone using the app, but it will land automatically when close enough to any flat surface which includes your hand.
The Positives
The biggest plus for me is just how user-friendly and intuitive this drone is to use. I knew that being as clumsy as I am, I would be likely to crash and break a drone, so I needed something that would be fairly foolproof. You don’t need to spend time setting a return “home” point, and it literally launches at the touch of a button. Just hold your hand under it, and it will land. The app also acts as a guide, keeping more complex flight patterns such as dolly-track locked out until you’ve completed a number of simpler flights. The cage around the fans also gives the drone a bit of protection if you end up crashing into a tree (more on that later!).
The picture quality is another highlight. I was worried when I saw some reviews reporting poor quality footage, but this hasn’t been my experience. I’ve genuinely been impressed that such a small drone is capable of capturing such great videos! Landscape shots and cropped footage do look poorer in quality, but the camera does a great job when tracking.
Another benefit for hiking is how portable the drone is. It fits comfortably in my pockets, and thru-hikers counting every gram of weight will appreciate this compact and lightweight piece of kit.
The Negatives
Whoa, we’re on the negatives already? Yes, but only because it is really hard to review the HoverAir without comparing it to other drones.
If you want a drone that can capture big panoramic shots from way up in the sky, this won’t be the one for you. It does have manual controls via the app but these can be janky, and with a maximum height of 15m it will limit what you’re able to film. The price tag might put people off, as it typically retails around £350 and there are other drones on the market which can cost less than this. Keep an eye out for sales and offers, especially if you want that warranty, as I have seen it for less.
One feature that you might expect is collision detection; unfortunately this drone does not have it. You do have to be careful where you’re flying it and how fast you’re moving, as if there are any problems the drone will just land itself. This is a nice feature as it stop flying if wind speed is too high, but if it decides that there is a problem or it loses you while flying over water it will just land itself right there. Water and drones don’t mix.
This photo is from when the drone ended up in a tree (in the name of testing, of course!). It managed to free itself before I could rescue it, and then shot off in the opposite direction! It did return back before it landed itself, but it’s a good example of why it is important to be mindful of your surroundings when you fly.
The biggest negative in my opinion is the battery life. A full charge will apparently give you 11 minutes continuous flying, or 20 flight patterns, and my testing reflects these figures. Although I’ve never run out while hiking, the battery is smaller than other similar drones, and might put off thru-hikers or content creators who may need to take a lot of footage. You can purchase spare batteries and a battery charging station for around £40 each, but this will take that price tag even higher.
Content creation
I wanted to touch on a couple of features specific for content creators as the HoverAir seems to be really compatible for capturing content for social media.
Vertical shooting mode is now my favourite, and you can use this on every flight pattern. The only problem I’ve come across is making sure that you’re centred; this image is from a pan-out where the angle wasn’t quite right and so I wasn’t in the centre of the image. This has only happened once so far, and you can preview footage on the app to check what you’ve filmed.
The HoverAir isn’t able to record audio, and if you want to add a voice over you will have to record to the app. It was pretty good at blocking out background noise and the sound of the drone’s fans (I tested it in moderate wind by a busy road), however as my phone automatically locks itself if it’s inactive, the mic got cut halfway through my rambling. If you like to include voice-overs it might be worth using a microphone or adding audio during editing to ensure you have the best quality, but as a fun feature I thought it was pretty good (as long as my phone didn’t lock!).
Things to consider
Despite weighing less than 250g, you do still need a license to fly this drone in the UK because it has a camera. It’s well worth checking the legal requirements in your local area before you fly!
Hikers who take a four-legged companion might want to consider if their dog needs training around the drone before you take them both into the wild together. I tested the HoverAir with 2 dogs, one who was completely uninterested and one who showed a lot of interest before getting bored. I can imagine some dogs being afraid of the noise, and a very interested dog might be able to jump and snatch it out of the air as it typically hovers at 1-2m for optimal tracking.
Final Thoughts
This is not like other drones, so I feel it’s unfair to compare it. If you want a drone that has basic tracking ability AND can get the landscape shots then this probably isn’t the right one for you. However, if you want a fun drone that has a range of tracking options, I would definitely recommend the HoverAir. I love this unit, and it’s biggest selling point is how easy it is to use. If I can use it, anyone can!
Locs On South Downs 