This Is The Easiest Drone I've Ever Flown - And It's Not Even Close

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Hoverair X1 Pro Max stands retired pinch an eye-catching, unconventional creation that sets it isolated from emblematic drones.
• One of its standout capabilities is 8K video recording, offering stunning solution for high-quality footage.
• However, its artillery life leaves overmuch to beryllium desired, limiting really agelong you tin alert earlier needing a recharge.

I'll admit: earlier testing nan Hoverair X1 Pro Max, I decidedly had trepidation astir nan device. Drones and quad-copters person mislaid their luster successful my day-to-day life because of each of nan FAA limits and reddish portion creators woody pinch to safely and legally alert their drones. 

All acknowledgment to nan mediocre decisions made by consumers pinch drones that were not responsible successful really they captured footage. This led to what I saw arsenic consequent drones being presented arsenic toys successful an effort to steer clear of FAA rules and regulations. 

Also: 12 rules to travel erstwhile utilizing and maintaining powerfulness stations - from an expert

Build value diminished, formation velocity and capabilities were reduced successful immoderate cases. So erstwhile I saw nan X1 Pro Max, my expectations were low. Spoiler alert, I was wrong. Very wrong. 

The Hoverair X1 Pro Max drone is an enthusiast drone pinch master capabilities built into a user-friendly package. This tiny, lightweight drone packs a mini camera tin of signaling video footage successful up to 8K resolution. Although I highly urge shooting successful 4K solution -- much connected that shortly. 

The X1 Pro Max besides touts speeds of up to 36mph acknowledgment to its lightweight, astatine 192 grams. This lightweight intends there's nary request to registry nan craft pinch nan FAA. In galore instances, user drones that don't require FAA registration are conscionable toys. Sure, they'll person a camera connected them, but there's nary stabilization aliases HD footage. 

Also: EcoFlow's caller backyard star power strategy starts astatine $599 - nary installation crews aliases permits needed

The X1 Pro Max gives you plentifulness of features to support up pinch nan pro-grade drones. Including propeller guards and an intuitive foldable creation for portability. And successful 2025, you cognize AI will beryllium implemented. With nan X1 Pro Max, you're getting beardown entity search for "follow me" videos aliases different imaginative shots powered by AI. All astatine a value nether $1000.

Performance and typical features

The halfway X1 Pro Max drone is beautiful straightforward successful build and creation -- and rather frankly, a spot unassuming erstwhile you first put your eyes and hands connected it. The build value is plastic, but that helps pinch weight. 

Its shape facet is simply a mini rectangle, nary bigger than astir smartphones today. But this mini package offers a coagulated camera, obstacle avoidance, and AI that helps seizure cinematic video footage. 

Hands connected nan HOVERAir X1 Pro Max drone

Ant Pruitt/ZDNET

My favourite characteristic is astir apt nan auto-takeoff and auto-land feature. After powering up nan craft and selecting your filming mode via your smartphone, you tin clasp nan drone successful your hand, and it will automatically and safely return off. 

For landing, conscionable clasp nan thenar of your manus six to 8 inches beneath nan drone, and it will mildly onshore successful your manus and unopen down. Because of nan pre-installed prop guards, there's nary interest astir getting trim by propellers. 

Also: I took this 130-pound powerfulness position connected an off-grid escapade - here's my buying advice

If you're a power freak for illustration I am, you don't person to usage afloat automatic modes to bask nan X1. You tin besides acquisition nan Beacon joystick accessory. This compact distant connects to nan craft complete Bluetooth beautiful easily. The beacon moreover includes a mini surface that allows you to spot what nan craft is signaling pinch very debased latency. 

Beacon joystick distant for HOVERAir X1 Pro Max drone

Ant Pruitt/ZDNET

The distant is not nan astir elegant design, but it's rather functional and feels comfortable during flight. Unlike astir drones, nan X1 Pro Max tin grounds audio pinch your video footage. With nan Beacon connected for flight, nan audio goes done a noise-cancelling process, allowing you to grounds speech to travel your video successful existent time. There is nary request to adhd a voiceover successful post.

The 8K solution isn't great. It looks "processed" because, for illustration astir smartphones, you woody pinch pixel binning, which fundamentally mimics 8K. The 4K solution looks overmuch amended and much natural. My adjacent gripe pinch nan X1 Pro Max is nan artillery life. 

Also: Are portable star panels legit? I saved $30 a period pinch these (and they're $400 off)

It's 2025, and I'd presume nan lightweight drone would beryllium capable to let for greater than 30 minutes of formation time. In my experience, I've gotten astir 17 minutes of formation time. Other than nan artillery life and 8K, I can't connection overmuch much criticism. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The X1 Pro Max drone is an unbelievable worth for creators looking to person drone footage successful their projects for vlogging, existent estate, action sports specified arsenic way riding aliases skiing, aliases different imaginative storytelling projects. The mobility search AI is really awesome and allows for creating immoderate beardown clips pinch various heights, not conscionable eye-level footage.

The X1 Pro Max is disposable online starting astatine $699, but Hoverair offers respective accessory bundles, including further batteries and a charging hub -- each nether $1,500. At that price, it's a awesome worth for professionals and casual users.