GoKawiilYou never forget the first time you pilot a drone over water.
No matter how well it flies or how good its safety features are, there's still that what-if worry of your expensive quadcopter dunking it into a lake or surf.
So even though the new HoverAir Aqua drone is specifically designed for water, I was still tentative about the implications of a flying camera meeting liquid.
Then I tossed it overboard into the drink.
A drone to capture your epic splashy moments
The HoverAir Aqua is designed to follow you on the water, whether you're surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding or participating in any other activity where you want to capture close action. It can autonomously follow your movements using a variety of modes -- the idea is that you pop it into the air and focus your attention on your activity, leaving the rest to the drone. It doesn't operate underwater, though its camera can record what's going on underneath before it takes flight.
The HoverAir Aqua is priced at $1,299, with one important caveat revealed the day before its release: it's not yet available in the US due to "current US administrative and regulatory complexities." However, the drone can be ordered and shipped to 50 other countries.
The HoverAir Aqua drone and its companion Lighthouse component you wear. Jeff Carlson/CNET
The Aqua system consists of two parts -- a drone and a smart target for it to follow. The quadcopter itself weighs 249g, just under the limit for registering it with the FAA, and has two foam guards on each side to provide lightweight buoyancy. The battery takes up most of the top portion, plus a full-color 1.6-inch AMOLED screen where you choose modes and settings and can also review the footage you just captured. A row of buttons below the screen provides access to those features.
The other component is the Lighthouse, a chunky orange transmitter you wear on an arm or leg that gives you limited control and acts as the drone's target for its many follow modes. After the drone and beacon establish a wireless connection, push the main button to launch the copter. Pressing a second button brings it back. While the drone is airborne, there are four directional buttons that nudge it vertically up and down or rotate it left and right.
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