HoverAir X1 self-flying camera: Easy, creative, and capable
Drones can be intimidating, complicated, and expensive and sometimes you just want something easy-to-use to help capture video from a different perspective.
Hyperdrive Hits
5/5 Medals of Yavin: Highly recommended for those looking for easy methods to capture creative perspectives
Light weight and compact
Combo includes a charger and two batteries
Advanced mode for those looking for something more
Good quality video output
My daughter has used a drone in the past to capture wedding video and shoot me while fly fishing, but that drone is fairly expensive and requires planning and coordination to use properly. The folks representing HoverAir reached out to me a couple of months ago about testing the HoverAir X1 self-flying camera and it has served me well for ebike and fitness reviews.
It has helped me capture excellent b-roll for ebike reviews and other fitness products while I have plans to use it for fly fishing and other outdoor adventures. The default modes, solid battery life, and reliable performance have made me a believer in the small camera drone.
Rating:
As explained in my palmsolo’s Refresh Rating Scale post, I’m awarding the HoverAir X1 self-flying camera five (5) Medals of Yavin. It provides exactly what is promised and has performed flawlessly. The voice confirmations, simple button operation system, and solid results make this a great buy for the right customer. The smartphone software has worked reliably and lets you take things to the next level if you desire.
The Good and the Bad
It’s pretty rare for me to not find something that can be improved with a product and even though I haven’t tested other drones I do have some thoughts on this HoverAir X1.
Pros
Light weight, folding design
Solid battery life
Combo kit with external battery charger and two batteries
Decent price for a functional drone
Two button operation
Cons
Not inexpensive
Experiences
When I review electric bikes and fitness gear, I typically mount an Insta360 camera to myself or hold an invisible selfie stick to try to capture video footage. I will also mount a tripod and capture video as I travel past the camera. With the HoverAir X1, I now have a mobile camera operator that helps capture creative content from unique perspectives.
I tried using my daughter’s drone in the past, but it takes practice to capture content that is useful and I don’t have the time to perfect my drone operator skills. With the HoverAir X1, you can be up and running with it in minutes after charging up the battery.
It comes in a compact retail package that also includes a soft carrying case. I was immediately impressed by the very light weight of the self-flying camera and the design that folds the two sides down under the central camera module. Four propellers are mounted in the four corners and are fully protected by the casing of the HoverAir X1.
There is a large button on the unit to turn the device on and off and a small button to change modes. Once your preferred mode is selected, simply press the large button to initiate take off. The X1 takes off from the palm of your hand and by placing your palm under it you can have it land on your hand.
Speaking of modes, there are five preset modes available. These include:
Orbit: The X1 points at you and make a 360 degree route around you while focusing at the center of the circle
Follow: The X1 will follow you and record video. The faster you go, the higher up the drone will follow. It supports up to almost 16 mph.
Reveal: In this mode, the X1 will move up and away from you and then back towards you. Two videos are captured in this mode for the move away and the move towards you so you can decide which to use with your video.
Overhead: The drone will move straight up and above you, again capturing two videos for both the ascending and descending movements.
Hover: This simply mode means the drone will move out a set distance from you and hover in front of you as it records
Users can customize several settings in each of these modes in the smartphone application so you can set distances, time intervals, and more. I encourage you to explore the app for all settings.
A custom mode is also available so you can create modes such as dolly track or snapshot. A manual mode is also available where you use the smartphone application to fly the camera, but I did not use this much since the available modes were all I need to capture review content.
The VIO (visual inertial odometry) tracking system works very well and I was blown away by how “obedient” the camera was to following my commands. I was riding a bike once and went under some low branches that knocked the X1 from the sky, but it softly descended to the ground with no damage. It is very light and all propellers are protected by the plastic cage so it is a fairly durable device.
The battery lasts for about 10 minutes of recording so with the two batteries in the combo set you can expect about 20 minutes of filming. There is no external storage card capacity with the X1 sporting 32GB of internal storage.
Video is limited to 2.7k at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps. I shoot my YouTube reviews in 1080p so I am fine with this capability. Some folks prefer 4K and I imagine a future model may include this level of support.
Audio is not captured by the HoverAir X1 and given the sound of the fans as it is flying I can’t imagine anyone would want to capture that audio. It is great for capturing b-roll and other video content that you can use when making videos.
Specifications
Specifications alone don’t mean much, but they are useful for comparing similar devices and checking that you are getting value for your money.
Folded dimensions: 127 x 86 x 31 mm
Open (operating) dimensions: 127 x 145 x 30 mm
Weight: 125 grams with the battery
Internal storage: 32 GB
Max flight height: 15 meters
Charging time: 35 minutes in the Charging Hub, 55 minutes in the X1
Battery capacity: 1050 mph
Gimbal range: Minus 90 degrees to 15 degrees
Max horizontal speed: 7 meters/second (15.7 mph)
Bottom Line
The HoverAir X1 combo package (two batteries and an external charging hub) is priced at $399. A combo plus package with one extra battery is available for an additional $40. The X1 is available in black and white colors too.
I was surprised by how easy it was to use the HoverAir X1 and it has now become my primary camera operator for ebike, fitness gear, and other reviews. I also plan to use it for upcoming vacations and business trips. It is compact and light so it can travel with you anywhere.
It’s not often that I am surprised by a product, but the X1 was a kick in the pants to use and the output impressed me. I will definitely be looking for future models with higher resolution output and other improvements.