When it comes to Selfie drones there are a fair few flooding onto the market. The concept being a selfie from a high vantage point is something new and different and will be much better than your outstretched arm or a selfie-stick.
Problem is, most of them are more than a bit crap. Hard to fly, awful image quality – you name it.
Enter the Hover Camera – a drone I saw demonstrated at CES which quite frankly seemed too good to be true. But it’s not, it’s real, and you can get it at Apple Stores now.
This little guy ain’t cheap – $830 – and that compares to DJI’s mini drone the Spark which comes in a touch higher. No doubt the Spark is a more versatile drone, but the Hover Camera fits the “selfie drone” nametag with perfection.
It’s safe – only the smallest fingers would fit though to get hit by the blades, and it’s 100% made for Selfies!
Hover Camera is smart, it can actually recognise you – you teach the app your face by turning left and right while the camera of your phone films you – similar to when you teach a phone your fingerprint.
That photo and impression of your face is then uploaded across to the Hover Camera which you connect to via WiFi.
Fold out the Hover Camera’s props, press the power button once, and it hovers.
Then it twists around, looking for you – when it sees you – it starts recording!
On your phone the videos are downloaded from the camera, and short 10 second highlight videos are automatically created.
This is all done in Owner Mode. Ie: It follows the Owner. And follow it does. Try outrunning this thing indoors – check the video above to see how hard it is to “catch” the drone when you’re done. Best off you use the app to land it folks.
Manual control is also possible, and it buzzes around the sky with ease. Plus there are follow, birds eye, even running mode.
For $830 it’s a whole bunch of tech in a very small package, plus you get two batteries out of the box.
Most notable of all its features? The Camera. The quality is sensational. This is where most “selfie drones” fall down, but not this one. GREAT quality stills and video, stable as you can get, plus the camera automatically tilts to follow you – it’s just sensational.
Works indoors and out, though I’d keen it in your bag if it’s windy.
Unbelievable quality, absolute simplicity – very impressed with the Hover Camera.
Web: Apple Store
[schema type=”review” rev_name=”Hover Camera” rev_body=”A selfie drone that does what it’s meant to! Great quality videos, so easy to use” author=”Trevor Long” pubdate=”2017-06-20″ user_review=”5″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]
