HOVERAir X1 Review: A Pocket-Size Drone That Films For You

Filming yourself is awkward. You prop your phone on a rock, hit record, run back into frame, and hope the angle works. Or you hand it to a friend who somehow cuts off your head every single time. If you vlog, hike, bike, or just want decent footage of yourself doing something fun, you need a cameraman who doesn't get bored.

The HOVERAir X1 is basically that cameraman, shrunk down to fit in your pocket. It's a tiny self-flying camera drone that launches from your palm, follows you around on its own, and folds flat when you're done.

What You Get

According to HOVERAir's Amazon listing, the X1 offers:

• A weight of just 125 grams
• Follow mode that tracks you from the front or back at up to 15 mph
• Preset flight modes, including Hover, Follow, Zoom Out, Orbit and Bird's Eye, plus manual control in the app
• Video up to 2.7K at 30fps, plus 1080p HDR
• 32GB of built-in storage, so no microSD card needed
• About 11 minutes of flight per battery, or roughly 20 preset flight paths
• Fully enclosed propellers with safety guards
• Wind resistance up to level 4 (about 7.9 meters per second)

Follow Mode Is the Star

The best thing about the X1 is the follow feature. You pick Follow mode, launch it from your hand, and it tracks you as you walk, run, or ride. HOVERAir says it keeps you centered in the frame using computer vision, and it can keep up at up to 15 mph.

If you film by yourself, that's a game changer. You get your own cameraman without having to recruit (or pay) anyone. Hiking footage, bike rides, travel clips, or a quick vlog intro all get a lot easier when the camera follows you instead of sitting on a tripod.

The other preset modes are handy too. Hover holds a fixed spot for hands-free selfies or group shots. Zoom Out slowly pulls back to reveal more of the scene, Orbit circles around you, and Bird's Eye shoots straight down. The enclosed propellers also make it feel a lot less nerve-racking to fly close to people than an open-prop drone.

It Folds Up and Fits in Your Pocket

The other big win is portability. The X1 folds in half into a flat slab about the size of a thick phone, so it fits in a jacket pocket or slides into any backpack pocket. That makes it easy to bring on trips without packing a separate drone bag.

If you're building a kit for your next trip, it fits right in with our list of travel gadgets worth packing.

Camera Quality Depends on the Light

Here's the catch. The footage isn't always as sharp as what you'd get from a recent phone. Sometimes it looks a little less clear than you'd expect, especially indoors or when the light isn't great. To get good-looking video, you'll want plenty of light, so think daytime outdoors rather than a dim living room.

That's not a shock for a camera this small. The X1 tops out at 2.7K, not 4K, and it's built around convenience more than image quality. If you care most about crisp footage, your phone or a dedicated action camera will do better. If you care most about getting shots of yourself that you couldn't get otherwise, the X1 makes a lot more sense.

A few other things to know before you fly. Battery life is short at about 11 minutes, so plan your shots or pick up an extra battery. HOVERAir also says the X1 isn't designed to fly over water, cliffs, or ground without much texture, so skip the lake shots.

Who It's For

The X1 is a great fit for solo vloggers, travelers, hikers, and bikers who want hands-free footage without learning to pilot a drone. It's also a fun tech gift. If you like gadgets that actually earn a spot in your bag, see our tech writer's non-negotiable gadgets for a few more ideas.

Price and Availability

At this writing, the HOVERAir X1 is $299 at Amazon, where it averages 4.3 stars from more than 1,100 ratings. Other listing options on the same page range from about $269 to $339. Drones like this go on sale often, so it's worth setting up Amazon price drop alerts if you're not in a hurry.

HOVERAir X1 Self-Flying Camera Drone

PROS:

• Follow mode works like having your own cameraman
• Folds flat and fits in a pocket or backpack
• Launches from your palm, no remote needed
• Enclosed propellers for safer close-up flying
• 32GB of built-in storage

CONS:

• Footage can look less clear than a phone's
• Needs good lighting for the best results
• About 11 minutes of flight per battery
• Not built to fly over water

💡 VERDICT: If you film yourself and want a cameraman that fits in your pocket, the HOVERAir X1 is a blast. Just shoot in good light and don't expect phone-level sharpness.

Watch Our Full Video Review

Want to see it in action? Here's the HOVERAir X1 launching, following and folding up.