Ring announced that its Drone Cam indoor flying camera will ship on January 27th, 2027, for $249.99, according to Ring founder Jamie Siminoff at a launch event in New York City this week. The Verge reports the announcement comes nearly six years after Ring first announced a flying camera product called the Always Home Cam in 2020.
The Drone Cam is designed to patrol inside homes in response to triggers from Ring sensors, including motion detection, door openings, water leaks or alarm sounds. When triggered, the drone flies along preprogrammed routes to designated locations where it livestreams and records footage in the Ring app. It can also run scheduled patrols or be deployed on demand.
The device weighs 165 grams and offers 2K resolution video with a 148-degree field of view. Ring claims the drone can fly for five to eight minutes on a charge. The company says it has no onboard sensors beyond those required for landing and relies on AI to navigate.
Ring positions the Drone Cam as a replacement for multiple fixed cameras, allowing users to monitor different areas of their home with a single device. The product is designed for indoor use only. The drone’s camera is covered when docked in its charging station and only records while flying. Ring says the device is intentionally noisy during flight.
Footage from the Drone Cam uses Ring’s TAKE (Throw Away the Key Encryption) system, which rotates encryption keys every five minutes and deletes Ring’s copies after 24 hours, according to the company. The system is designed to limit Amazon’s access while maintaining cloud processing for features like smart alerts and AI-powered video search.
The Verge notes the Drone Cam is significantly smaller than earlier versions shown at CES in 2023, representing a redesign from the originally announced Always Home Cam concept.