Amazon's Ring introduces security drone and robot
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Amazon's Ring is rolling out a flying drone and roving robot, allowing customers to patrol through corners of their homes or businesses whether they're upstairs or out of town.
Why it matters: Amazon is betting that AI can usher in a new age of autonomous security — with your camera not just watching for trouble, but actively hunting it down.
How it works: Both the Ring Drone and Rover are powered by AI Pilot, a system that uses cameras, sensors and cloud processing to navigate a home or business autonomously.
- The drone, which retails for $249.99 and will begin shipping in late January 2027, is designed to fly through corners of your home that a fixed camera can't reach.
- The roving security device, available for $999.99 starting in mid December, can roam through businesses on a scheduled pattern or be sent to investigate disturbances.
- LED indicators show when the devices are recording.
Flashback: This isn't the first time Amazon has tried to launch a flying security camera. The tech giant announced the "Ring Always Home Cam" in 2020.
- That effort didn't get off the ground because the company had to keep adding sensors and computing resources to the drones, which made them harder to fly, Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff told Wired. Moving that intelligence into the cloud solved the issue, he said.
What we're watching: The Federal Communications Commission has tightened restrictions on foreign-made drones over national security concerns.
- Ring told The Verge it is "in the process" of getting certification from the FCC to sell the drone, and that its U.S.-assembled product complies with the agency's restrictions.
My thought bubble: As someone who agonizes over whether I turned off the stove, this device sounds intriguing — although I expect my fiery dachshund would have different thoughts about sharing the apartment with a drone.
