HOVERAir Aqua Becomes First Commercial Drone That Floats and Films Your Water Adventures

Water and drones were never friends; one bad move over a lake and your expensive device sinks to the bottom along with your footage. Zero Zero Robotics, the company behind the pocket-sized HOVERAir X1, spent years listening to customers who wanted a drone that could survive water without fear. They’ve created a new product: the HOVERAir Aqua, a drone that thrives in water.

Weighing less than a small water bottle, the Aqua is under 249-grams so no FAA registration is required for recreational use in the US and it’s C0 certified for easy flying in the EU. Its bright orange, buoyant frame isn’t just for show – it floats effortlessly even if you toss it in the water upside down. A clever self-righting mechanism flips it back upright before it takes off and is ready to film. With an IP67 rating it can be fully submerged in fresh or saltwater without damage thanks to over 15 waterproofing features like hydrophobic materials, anti-corrosive composites and vacuum sealed components. A quick rinse after a dip in the ocean and it’s good as new.

Filming on water has always been tough. Traditional drones require dry launchpads and constant piloting while action cameras strapped to your chest or board limit you to first person views. The Aqua changes that with hands free operation. Its AI powered tracking lets it follow you without a controller, framing cinematic third person shots as you kayak, wakeboard or snorkel. A wearable accessory called the Lighthouse, strapped to your arm, is both a tracker and remote. It tells the drone to take off, land, switch between 15 flight modes or return if it drifts too far thanks to a Virtual Tether feature that keeps it within range. No need to fumble with a phone or joystick while you’re battling waves.


It’s also a camera powerhouse, with a 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensor that takes 4K footage at 100fps for silky slow motion of your best surfing skills. It also takes 12-megapixel photographs and up to 48 megapixels with post processing for increased quality. A hydrophobic, self-heating lens shakes off water droplets and eliminates fogging, keeping your film crisp even in splashy circumstances. SmoothCapture 3.0 stabilization keeps everything steady whether you’re racing a jet ski at 34mph or battling 33-knot winds. The drone’s millimeter-wave radar lets it fly as low as 2 inches above the water, getting angles that would make any filmmaker jealous.



Battery life is 23 minutes per charge, which is plenty for most short trips, but you may want to bring a spare for longer ones. With 128GB of internal storage, you can record about an hour of H.265 video without changing cards. A 1.6 inch AMOLED screen on the drone lets you preview images and adjust settings without needing a smartphone—a lifesaver when you’re out on the water and want to keep your phone dry.


The Aqua stands out because of its versatility with over 15 modes for different hobbies. Kayak mode makes the drone follow you. Snorkel mode makes it float on the surface with the camera pointing down to video you underwater. Surf mode keeps it stable even when waves crash against it. There’s even a mount mode for stationary photos that turns the Aqua into a floating tripod. With the drone’s ability to go 34mph and withstand strong winds these modes make it the perfect companion for fast water activities.


Zero Zero Robotics, founded by Stanford PhDs MQ Wang and Tony Zhang, loves to push limits. Their previous X1 and X1 Pro Max drones brought 8K filming to land based adventures but the Aqua takes it to the water. It launched on Indiegogo with an early bird price of $999 which is more than the $349 X1 but offers unique features for water enthusiasts. Shipping is in December 2025 and the campaign has already surpassed its funding goal so it’s clear people want this drone.
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