HOVERAir AQUA Waterproof Self-Flying Drone Introduced

Drone News

by Jeff LochAugust 25^th, 2025

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Chinese drone manufacturer HOVERAir has just introduced their latest drone: the AQUA. This AI-powered drone is self-flying, which means it doesn’t require a remote or piloting, and it is 100% waterproof, which means it can follow you and grab shots while you are kayaking, surfing, sailing, or doing any water-related activities that are usually risky for camera gear. So, let’s take a closer look at it!

After years of competing around camera specs, it finally seems that companies are trying to bring some innovation back to the drone market. Indeed, Antigravity recently unveiled the A1 8K 360 drone. DJI Mavic 4 Pro, which we reviewed, has a fully rotating gimbal to create unique shots, and HOVERAir just introduced the first waterproof drone to the market, which doesn’t even require a remote controller.

HOVERAir AQUA – features

The HOVERAir AQUA is a relatively compact and lightweight drone that measures only 202 x 206 x 64mm (7.95 x 8.11 x 2.52 in), weighing 249g (0.55 lb). This below-250g weight means that in most countries, you won’t need drone registration, and it is C0 certified for EU users.

What makes the AQUA unique is that it is IP-67 waterproof rated and that, like a seaplane aircraft, it features a continuous float at the bottom, which means it has buoyancy capabilities. In short, you can take off and land from the ground/beach, or directly in a lake or sea.

At the front of the drone, you’ll find a built-in 1.6″ AMOLED display and three control buttons. This screen allows you to easily change your camera settings, preview and review your footage, and view the remaining storage and battery life. Talking about the latest, the AQUA features 128GB of built-in storage, so it doesn’t require a memory card, and you have a maximum flight time of 23 minutes. Of course, you can swap the batteries for extended runtime.

The HOVERAir AQUA features a built-in camera with a 1/1.28” CMOS sensor and an 18mm F/2.55 full-frame equivalent lens that should give you a wide 95° field of view. The lens has a hydrophobic coating, and a “self-heating anti-fog technology” to make sure you capture crystal clear footage without droplets in front of the lens.

The AQUA can capture footage in up to 4K100P in 16:9 mode, and up to 4K30P in vertical mode. According to the company, there are five recording modes: normal, slow-motion, vertical shooting, HDR, and 10-bit H-Log to get the most dynamic range. The maximum video bitrate is 160Mbps.

However, please keep in mind that the AQUA only has a 1-axis gimbal. The drone has electronic image stabilization and horizon-leveling capabilities as well as the company’s “SmoothCapture 3.0” stabilization algorithm, but all are digital processes. HOVERAir claims that the drone can handle winds up to 33 knots, which equals 61km/h.

Flight modes and control

As mentioned previously, the HOVERAir AQUA is a self-flying drone powered by AI. The drone comes with a remote called the LightHouse, which allows you to control the takeoff, landing, and trigger recording. The LightHouse also acts as a little tracker that maintains a connection between you and the drone. According to the company, “if the distance ever exceeds a preset limit, AQUA will fly back within range automatically. That means you can stay fully immersed in your activity without worrying that AQUA will drift away.”

The AQUA features 15 built-in flight modes, including Follow, Dolly Track, Zoom Out, Orbit, Spiral, and Bird’s Eye. Furthermore, you can also switch drone controls to manual with the optional Beacon & Joysticks.

Price and availability

The HOVERAir AQUA is available to preorder on Indiegogo for $999 for the Standard combo, $1,199 for the Fly More combo, and $1,399 for the Land and Sea package. The drone should start shipping in December 2025.

For more information and to preorder, please visit the Indiegogo campaign page here.

At the end of every crowdfunding-related article, we remind you to please be aware of the risks when backing a project on a crowdfunding platform. Also, please read the platform’s terms of use and remember that there can be significant delays when delivering the product. Some products don’t get delivered at all.

What do you think about this waterproof drone? Do you think it could help you capture unique shots? Did you ever lose or damage a drone trying to capture watersports footage? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!