The HoverAir X1 selfie drone is getting big resolution upgrades in two new versions

The HoverAir X1 Pro volition beryllium capable to seizure 4K footage astatine up to 60FPS, oregon 120FPS dilatory question footage astatine 1080P, done a half-inch CMOS sensor paired with a 17 millimeter wide space lens. The X1 Pro Max further boosts video solution to 8K astatine 30FPS, but tin besides seizure footage astatine 4K/120FPS oregon 4K/60FPS successful 10-bit HDR done a 1/1.3-inch sensor and a somewhat wider 16 millimeter lens.

Zero Zero Robotics hasn’t revealed the afloat details for either model, but has shared photos of each, showing a sleeker, little boxy design. There’s a redesigned interface, too, with a larger fastener and what appears to beryllium a surface (instead of idiosyncratic LEDs) for selecting formation paths. Unlike astir user drones that necessitate amateur piloting skills, the archetypal HoverAir X1 is autonomous, tracking a taxable and capturing footage done predetermined formation paths.

Other upgrades see a faster travel velocity of 26MPH, up from 15MPH connected the HoverAir X1 (which volition entreaty to cyclists); 16-minute formation times; and the summation of rear and broadside collision sensors. The erstwhile exemplary lacked immoderate obstacle detection and avoidance, simply relying connected cages to support its rotors and forestall crashes should it tally into something.

Another regulation of the HoverAir X1 was that it relied connected a VIO (Visual Inertial Odometry) strategy alternatively of GPS to cognize wherever it was astatine each times. That prevented it from being utilized implicit h2o oregon snowfall wherever the imaginativeness strategy struggled to spot defined moving textures. Both the X1 Pro and X1 Pro Max diagnostic an upgraded VIO that tin beryllium utilized implicit immoderate terrain. They tin adjacent alert disconnected a cliff and safely instrumentality to wherever they were launched.

There’s nary notation of whether oregon not the X1 Pro and X1 Pro Max are waterproof, however. An unplanned h2o landing was an casual mode to destruct the archetypal X1, and it seems similar this would beryllium an important upgrade earlier kayakers oregon paddle boarders felt comfy launching the caller drones implicit water.

Other details Zero Zero Robotics hasn’t shared yet is the value of the 2 caller drones, though some volition apt beryllium adjacent to the 125-gram HoverAir X1, truthful they’ll inactive beryllium exempt from the FAA’s licensing requirements.

We besides don’t cognize erstwhile they’ll beryllium available, what caller accessories volition beryllium launched with them, oregon their pricing. The HoverAir X1 is currently connected merchantability for $349 (down from $429) which remains a large portion of the compact drone’s appeal. But with rumors suggesting the tiny and aggressively priced 4K-ready DJI Neo could beryllium arriving soon, the HoverAir X1 Pro and X1 Pro Max volition ideally not debut with important terms increases.