Spectacular sailing pictures are often only possible with a drone. If there is no other boat nearby from which a friend can take photos, your own shots are limited to photos along the railing in the bow wave. An exterior shot with a spinnaker in front of an impressive coastline is only possible with flying cameras, which are now widely available. However, there is always the risk of the drone falling into the water and getting lost. As the drone is launched from a boat and many models return to the launch site when the battery is low or the radio connection is lost, they simply fall into the water at this point as the yacht has already sailed on.
Waterproof and floatable
HoverAir wants to reduce this risk, which all water sports enthusiasts take when photographing with a drone, with the Aqua model. The quadcopter is completely waterproof, but the real highlight is that the drone can simply take off from the water. The HoverAir Aqua can therefore be thrown overboard and then launched without the risk of getting caught in standing water. This also means that if a landing attempt goes wrong and the drone falls overboard, it can simply be launched again and another attempt made to land on board or grab the drone from the air. Alternatively, it can also be brought on board with a landing net. Landing on board after a completed flight is particularly prone to disasters. As the boat is moving and the rig has many obstacles, the drone usually has to be approached manually and then grabbed and held from the air. The HoverAir Aqua should even be able to take off again if it is upside down in the water. The manufacturer calls this manoeuvre a turtle flip, whereby the drone turns itself around with the help of the four rotors before taking off.
Simple control
The HoverAir Aqua is controlled using the remote control called Lighthouse. The controller is small and can be worn as a wristband. The manufacturer uses a technology called Real-Time Kinematics (RTK), which combines drone and control. The drone follows the wearer of the remote control and automatically positions itself at a good angle for filming. Positions can be changed or landing can be initiated at the touch of a button. The HoverAir Aqua also has a millimetre wave radar that can see and avoid waves when taking off and flying manoeuvres close to the water. The camera lens is equipped with a hydrophobic coating so that it should always provide a clear view. There is an optional larger remote control for manual control of the drone.
A 1.6-inch display is integrated on the front of the drone. The camera underneath films in 4K. The HoverAir Aqua is designed to reach speeds of up to 55 kilometres per hour and manoeuvre safely even in strong winds of up to 35 knots. It has an internal memory with a capacity of 128 gigabytes.
The HoverAir Aqua measures 202 x 206 x 64 millimetres and weighs 249 grams. This means that a driving licence is not required to fly it. The maximum flight time is stated as 23 minutes. The manufacturer is currently still collecting investor funds via crowdfunding, with the first models due to be delivered in December 2025. The standard version costs 1,115 euros, but can be pre-ordered for 858 euros before the official sales launch.
