The Hover 2 is a new flying camera from ZeroZero Robotics that's designed to be simple to use.
Drones are capable of some pretty impressive cinematography and stunts – but some people just want to snap selfies from the sky. Two years ago, start-up ZeroZero Robotics launched the
Hover Camera, a device that was more flying camera than drone, and now the Hover 2 is about to take flight on Kickstarter, aiming to keep it simple while opening up the options to be more drone-like. Key to the Hover 2's simplicity is how portable it is. There's no big briefcase to lug around – instead the Hover 2 just folds in half to form a book-sized package, measuring 230 x 45 x 172 mm (9 x 1.7 x 6.7 in). Launching it is a matter of gently releasing it, and once airborne, control is handed over to either the companion app or a small remote device called the Palm Pilot. To "land" users can just pluck it out of the air. That's not an action recommended for most drones, but the Hover 2's grab-and-go design comes down to the carbon fiber cages encasing the propellers. That also makes it safe for indoor flights, and allows the drone to take closer-up shots without worry of injury or damage.