The HoverAir X1 ProMax is a foldable camera drone that allows users to effortlessly record video of themselves with and without a smartphone.
Smaller and easier to operate than early drones
I remember my introduction into the camera drone world. My first camera drone was a refurbished DJI Phantom 1. It was big and it had to be transported in a metal case, the remote control itself was as big as the drone. That drone wasn’t very stable as it had to be manually flown with caution, especially in windy and forested environments.
Fast forward ten years into the future, we now have drones that can fold and fit in pant pockets. The DJI Spark and DJI Mini Pro introduced me into the small-and-mighty camera drone world. I was able to capture beautiful videos and photos while manually controlling the drones with the remote control. But, this meant I was rarely, if not at all in the video or photo itself. As a photographer, I am quite used to that! But when looking back at photos and video, I sort of wished that I was somewhere in the footage.
The HoverAir X1 ProMax solves that issue with its SciFi like self-flying features. This drone is designed to take flight from the palm of your hand, recognise the rider, follow the rider, and return back to your hand, all while never needing to use a remote control or smartphone.
HoverAir X1 ProMax specs
- 8K @ 30fps, 4K @ 120fps, 48M still photos
- Two-axis Gimbal Smooth Capture 2.0 Stabilization, 107° field of view
- Size: 105x149x34mm (folded), 173×149×39mm (unfolded)
- Weight: 196g with micro SD card inserted
- Price: standard package is $699, and the Cycling Combo is $1,292 (Currently on sale for $1,089)
- Buy from HoverAir
The HoverAir X1 ProMax is packed with respectable video and photo specs. It can support recording in 8K at up to 30 frames per second, 4K HDR at up to 30 fps, standard 4K at up to 60 fps, and 2.7K HDR at up to 60 fps. If you want to get cool slow-motion playback, footage can also be captured in 4K or 1080p at up to 120 fps. The camera supports a max bitrate of 160Mbps, which allows more detail(data) to be saved per video. The drone will also allow you to snap up to 48 megapixel photos. The drone comes with 64GB of internal storage to get you started and is handy if you ever forget your micro SD card at home. It also supports external micro SD cards up to 1TB. I have been using my drone with the built-in storage and a 256GB micro SD card that seems to suffice during my short trips.
The included Smart Battery has a capacity of 1920mAh that can last for about 14-16 minutes of flight time, depending on wind and temperature conditions. Hoverair also offers an optional 1920mAh Thermo Smart Battery for flying in colder environments. This small drone has a level 5 wind resistance, which is up to 24 mph winds. I don’t own an anemometer, but I could tell the drone didn’t like strong gusts of wind. If you can find a near windless environment, the drone can follow the user at up to 26 mph.
The HoverAir X1 ProMax can be flown with or without a remote control. My first attempts were flights using the preset flight options, which include Hover, Zoom Out, Follow, Orbit, Birds Eye, Dolly Track, Ski Mode, Cycling Mode, and Indoor Follow. The descent-sized LED screen shows which flight option is selected, and a loud digital voice also announces the flight option after every toggle.
I started off in Hover Mode after unfolding the drone wings. I placed the drone on the palm of my hand, pressed the center button to confirm my flight option, listened to the countdown beeping from the drone, and it took off! Just like that, it started hovering in front of me and began to record video. When I had enough, I placed my palm right under it, and like a well-trained falcon, it landed back on my palm and shut the propellers off and stopped recording. I honestly was blown away. This whole process was so much easier than what I had done with my previously owned DJI portable drones. No fiddling with phone apps, remotes, or geo-fence restrictions. It was as easy as unfolding, pressing a few buttons, flying, landing, and folding back up and stashing it away.
Now, flying the HoverAir ProMax without a phone app or Beacon remote will be very handy on many occasions, but using the HoverAir App and/or Beacon will unlock many mode modifications plus Manual Control, Snapshot, and Side Track modes. Say you want to change the video resolution — the App and Beacon will let you do that. If you want to change the flight height and distance, the App and Beacon will also let you change that. If you want to get a preview of what the drone is seeing, the App and Beacon will give you that! The HoverAir App is a free download from the Apple App Store and Android Play Store. The Beacon is an accessory you can buy a la cart or buddle with when buying your drone for the first time. Downloading the app is a no brainer, and I would also highly recommend getting the Beacon for on-the-trail modifications and extended range.
Trail Riding: will it follow?
Now, one of the main selling points of this drone is its intelligent tracking flight modes. This drone is designed to track and follow you wherever you take it. It performed pretty well doing some basic testing in an open park. But, wouldn’t it be awesome if it could track and follow me riding my mountain bike on my local trails? I sure thought so, and decided to do just that. Check out the sample footage I recorded. These are clips that have not been color adjusted.
The HoverAir ProMax has a Cycling Mode that allows the drone to track the rider and follow along from behind all on its own. I initiated Cycling Mode, let it start up, and started riding down different trails. The first few runs I kept looking back to see if indeed it was following me. I really thought it would at some point just lose me and fly away like a lost balloon. But that was never the case.
It kept up and avoided trees, branches, bushes, and even cornered around bends in the trail. The sensors can make the drone “bounce” to avoid obstacles and re-adjust itself to continue following you. But if you are speeding down the trail at mach speed in a densely forested trail, the drone will keep up until it doesn’t. The internal processors just aren’t that fast at computing when the drone is flying at high speeds. So be aware of such limitations. It will help if you plan out where exactly you will get the best results out on the trails. In my use, the drone never crashed. It was quite an interesting experience to have a personal little drone do all this on its own.
I used the bundled Beacon many times as I was told it would improve accuracy of the follow-modes. The Beacon communicates with the drone telling it how far or near the rider is, rather than simply relying on what the drone-camera sees. The Beacon also helps to record audio with its built-in noise-canceling microphone. Since the Beacon can attach to most handlebars using any three-prong action camera attachment, the mic picks up any dialog, improving your video storytelling.
Below you can see the 4K @ 30fps vertical clips I was able to record. This ratio is great for sharing Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Whether you decide to use your smartphone or the optional Beacon as a remote, here are the transmission ranges between the drone and the remote.
Battery life and flight time
Each of my three bundled batteries typically lasted between 12-16 minutes, and while that doesn’t sound like a lot of flight time, it was actually plenty to create a short adventure video. I didn’t expect the drone to follow me during my entire two-hour ride; I’m not sure if anyone would even want to see that much footage on YouTube or on social media. I only flew the drone on the “fun” parts of the trail to capture highlights that viewers would enjoy. I also didn’t want this thing buzzing behind me near anyone else, as I got a few intrigued looks from a couple of hikers. Use your drone responsibly — trail etiquette still applies. I flew my drone when strangers were not around.
Drone POV perspectives
Many riders, like myself, have been eager to share what it is that we see while out riding. We want to share our experiences with others. Action camera footage is really the most common way to record our bike adventures. You strap a camera to a helmet or chest strap, hit record, and well, get a point of view of the rider. This POV is very well known, and can get a little tiring to watch. Cameras like the Insta360 X5 360-degree camera can enhance the POV experience when riding, but it is still a camera that you have to wear.
HoverAir ProMax adds a very unique POV, to your videos. The drone is actually up in the air, well above the rider, capturing the trail you are on. You just can’t get that type of view with an action camera. This can be a good replacement for worn action-cameras for some riders, but I think it can be a great addition to your current action camera, allowing for an additional perspective on your video storytelling. Take a look at the footage I got with the HoverAir ProMax and judge for yourself to decide if this drone may be great for you.
The starting price is up there at $699 for the Standard package, which may be this drone’s biggest hurdle to earning its place in a household. That pricing is pre-tariff pricing as stated on their website. But in the MTB world, where wireless drivetrains can cost $1,599 and wireless dropper seatposts cost $859, some riders may find the pricing reasonable. HoverAir does offer less expensive models but take away needed features when cycling.
Pros
- Easy to fly outdoors and indoors
- Great subject tracking capability
- Good video quality from a compact camera drone
- Lightweight and foldable
Cons
- Prices climb quickly when bundling
Bottom line
The HoverAir X1 ProMax really does what it’s advertised to do. It is fun and simple to use in different environments and situations. This is a very capable, consumer-friendly camera drone that nudges its competitors to start an innovative battle which, we the consumers, will greatly benefit from in the near future. For its size, weight, camera quality, and self-flying follow features, the HoverAir X1 ProMax will continue to fly along my side, capturing my fun adventures.
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