HOVERAir X1 Pro & Pro MAX: 5 Biggest New Features

The HOVERAir X1 Pro & X1 Pro MAX are aimed at professionals (hence the name) but are they worth the money? In this video I go over the 5 biggest upgrades that these drones bring to the Air X1 lineup, talk about some of my experience with the drones at an event in NYC, and give you my thoughts on whether they are worth the increased price tags.
*Disclaimer: I was invited to a hands-on event by HOVER/Zero Zero Robotics in NYC but they are NOT sponsoring this video and did not receive any editorial control over what I say
Gear I use 🎥🎙️💻
camera - amzn.to/472hKR8
lav mic - amzn.to/3Skeegi
tripod - amzn.to/3QrDKiR
Music I use 🎶 (use code DIGITALTECH10 for 10% off)
SoundStripe - soundstripe.co...
📸 instagram - / digitaltechreviewsandtips
🕺 tiktok - / digitaltechreviews
❎ x - #!...
If you have any questions, comments, or whatever else, feel free to leave it in the comments below. Also, make sure to SUBSCRIBE to my channel for more tech videos, tips, unboxings, and quality tests. THANKS FOR WATCHING!
📨 Business inquiries: [e-mail]

[@scottgivens27]

I loved my X1, but yes, I lost mine to the ocean Gods as it got lost over waves. It did fine two flights prior, but during the third flight, the sun got hid behind the clouds and the drone completely got lost, hovered over the water for 8 minutes and bye bye. But I loved it so much that I ordered the Pro Max 8k with one additional battery. If it made the terrain sensor improvements that it boasts. That alone is HUGE to me. Can’t wait to review it in the same area lost my X1 drone! Great review!

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Thanks! Sorry to hear about your X1. Going back to the scene of the crime with the X1 Pro Max will be the ultimate test for it. Hope the HoverAir team has really done their work well.

[@TravelsByTrike]

Thanks for the video. I went to look at the Indigogo options. Under the Promax Skiing perks, the beacon and joysticks are included. This is the most expensive option and that is the order I placed. I'm excited to try out the beacon and hope it works like the Skydio beacon did. I'm not expecting the same obstacle avoidance though. Active track on the DJI drones is terrible and I'm happy to see another company stepping into that void.

[@apocaly2855]

I was sold when I saw the becon/controller ..I love how they made it

[@CallaFab]

Hard to wait when they are offering a 32% discount. I went ahead and ordered just for the beacon/ controller option. I really hope it works as well as I expect it to.

[@FQ8]

Didn't know it has a micro SD slot...cool!

[@SFBenjaminK]

I bought the Promax combo pack for $900, because I wants that extended beacon and that hub case box, also added it one extra battery to it since is on sale, Can't wait to receive it and play with it ,is super duppa Drone love all the futures is top notch, Don't forget that 40% off is only for 3 days I don't think Black Friday going to be cheaper an that 40% off and is already $100 off on each one of them🥳👍🤙 Only think I didn't like after I'm paying around $1,000 for this they charged me $20 for shipping and they said shipping is guaranteed ,rreeally no shyt?? Anyways is all good & worth it🤘

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

That’s crazy they charged $20 for shipping. I mean I know it probably isn’t cheap to ship but they should’ve tried to work it in to the backing price. And yeah, we probably won’t see quite this discounted for Black Friday but I think it will have to see some substantial discounts once we see what DJI has in store with the Neo in terms of features and pricing.

[@Rollerlife]

WOW, now it looks like it's really worth it

[@MikeStevens]

Damn it. I Just ordered the X1 Pro Max. I knew this would happen. Zero restraint 😂

[@ElevatedVehicles]

Did you get it for $499?

[@MikeStevens]

@@ElevatedVehicles I went with the Cycling Combo, so it was US$899.

[@amraouigroup]

​@MikeStevens I think you can cancel the old order and reorder the pro max if you really want it. I received an email about re customizing your order as many people were confused by the different combos offered.

[@MikeStevens]

@@amraouigroup Hmm? Sorry, when I said 'damn it', I was complaining about my lack of restraint, haha. The cycling combo with Pro Max is exactly what I wanted, so I'm all sorted. I got that email too, but I think I'm okay with my existing order.

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Haha I’ve definitely been there before. You’re just “checking out” a new drone and then next thing you know you’ve bought it and a whole range of accessories 😂

[@jondavey007]

Did you manage to use the controller and if so how does it compare to the DJI mini?

[@xavier_arthur]

Good to meet you at the event 😊

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Nice to meet you too man! It was fun to chat tech and check out these new drones together.

[@bluebiegrace1828]

Good advice and review. I just received my Hover x1 today and already thinking of getting the pro max, but I’ll wait until more reviews. Looking very nice though. Thank you!

[@DadRandom]

Nice work Gabe - agree - i fly GOLDEN HOUR and this requires a large sensor - 1/1.3 is really great

[@epos_rising]

Cool video , well done ! Please include in your upcoming full review an impact test (i believe it only has collision sensor in the back) , image quality against mini4pro , and battery life when tracking at 8K with windy conditions. It's also interesting how quickly does a battery fully charge on the road with a high end PD powerbank ,since flying time even with three batteries is quite limited.

[@brontewood]

Can you comment on how loud the new drones are? I love my X1 but always felt it could be more quiet. Curious about your thoughts.

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Well the good/bad news is that the new drones are about the same noise as the X1. Maybe a bit lower pitch as they are larger props but basically the same otherwise.

[@dhruvj.5412]

Thanks for the great first look. Do you know if it’s the beacon that extends the tracking distance for the drone to 1km? Or are the new drones just better equipped?

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

I think it’s a yes to both of that. The drones are definitely better equipped and able to track more accurately, but are also limited by visual capabilities with tracking which means any distance greater than 70-100ft and it probably can’t see you clearly. The Beacon works by somehow letting the drone know where you/the Beacon is in relation to the drone so the drone can point the camera in the right direction and keep you in frame even if it can’t actually see you with the camera. This is all in theory though and is how it was explained to me by the team at HOVER. We’ll have to see how it actually works once we start getting some real reviews on units that have received all the necessary software updates.

[@dhruvj.5412]

@@DigitalTechReviewsTipsappreciate the thorough response

[@showingaustin]

Thanks for the overview! I am definitely looking forward to using the PROMAX for my channel as a huge upgrade from my HOVERAir X1. I do wonder how high you will be able to fly in manual mode.

[@DadRandom]

Hmmmm, THE BEACON? We heard that somewhere before... Sensors, I thought the were saying rear and back...??? MINI 4 can seriously avoid obstacles. No Joke and fly around suff following you while its in orbit mode. I have a Mavic 4 in my future oh, and that 2k big boy camera. Thanks for the review. It was really informative.

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Yeah, the Mini 4 Pro is the first DJI drone that actually impressed me with its obstacle avoidance. It’s nice HOVERAir is working on adding obstacle detection but just backwards seems pretty limited. Glad you liked that review

[@lcsiew8875]

What is the upward tilt angle of the gimbal?

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Good question! I’ll pass that one on to them to try and find out.

[@ThatGirl-cs1gt]

Did u notice a dip in quality with the pro max for vertical video?

[@grahamjones7070]

Is it true what ive heard about the Omni terrain feature not kicking in until the drone has been ON for two or three minutes?

[@scott.skates]

Cool, are you using a teleprompter? Eyes look a little dodgy! 😂 Good info though I get it too much to remember!🤘

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Not using a teleprompter - usually I’m able to just sit down and talk to the camera with no issues but this one kicked my ass with all the specs to remember.

[@ktm640lc4BGD]

are 4 ND filters polarized and what values they have?

[@hellohogo]

We’ll see. I’m not sold on the footage quality

[@jbrey8427]

Just an observation that these new HOVERAir models look like they meet all of the FAA's requirements to fly over people. Have you looked into this aspect? DJI's smallest drones under 249 grams do not have caged props so they are not approved to fly over people. Then there is something about if they fall they can't fall with more than 11 foot-pounds of force, I don't even know how someone would go about measuring that. Anyway, possibly another selling point?

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Not sure about the pound force aspect (though it seems most light drones are under the limit) but yes - all the reasons you mentioned could make the new HOVERAir models perfect rule fits for Category 1 or 2 *except* they lack Remote ID capabilities. Now maybe one could look into adding there own RID transmitter but from my brief looking online it seems the lightest one is still 32g which is lik 10-15% of the drone’s weight. Will be interesting to see if someone discovers a way to comply with the rules once we get the drone in our hands.

[@apocaly2855]

It actually even looks like a mini skydio 1..

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

You’re right haha. Just smaller and with a fully enclosed cage.

[@AZGeek520]

Did they upgrade the ability to fly out over uneven terrain? I've been very restrained about flying over water or flying out from a cliff or bridge because of the lack of capability of my X1 to handle those situations. Great to hear that they addressed the water limitations but I haven't seen/heard anything about flying over uneven terrain. It would be great if that functionality was enabled in the new updates.

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

In their marketing they say refer to the new capabilities as “OmniTerrain” and say the new drones can fly over “water, snow and cliff”. So I think it should be able to more easily handle situations like this but I also couldn’t get a clear answer from them on how high away from the ground the drone can be while still maintaining position hold. I know in automated modes it maxes out at 15m/50ft so that maybe gives a good sense of how much to trust it.

[@AZGeek520]

@@DigitalTechReviewsTips Thanks. I watched the video from the founder and he briefly mentioned cliff capabilities, so that is encouraging. I have many DJI drones and like the X1 for what it is; really only looking at the X1 Pro Max for the improvements for what it is intended to be used for; my DJI drones are for more complicated missions and cinematic work.

[@sylvesterwatson314]

Good Review. I have seen the X1 and my question is does the X1 pro sound as noisy as the X1 ?

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Pretty much exactly the same sound levels. Maybe a little lower pitched and more propellor sound than motor but no real decrease in sound.

[@PeterPanQuails]

Can I use the controller to direct it to fly like a remote control? I would like to use it to fly around the house rooftop to check if the gutter needs cleaning.

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Yes, it seems if you get the Beacon + Joystick accessories you unlock the ability to fly it like a traditional radio controlled drone. You can also wirelessly fly it with a virtual controller in the app.

[@gmctano1570]

I have my Hover X1 the altitude is 49 feet and won't fly in the dark. Is the Pro max how far and how many feet high , night time fly ??

[@BobWila]

whats the follow speed on the x1?

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

I think it’s like 15-17mph

[@rayanapoleriano]

Interesting

[@richardglazer7813]

will it have obstacle avoidance?

[@adsertheblade]

Hia, thanks for the great review. Any idea when you might get the demo model in for review? 34 days left on the Indigogo for their discount... Thanks

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

I’m hoping sooner than later. Only thing that might complicate it is that I have a lot of travel plans in September so it’s going to be hard for me to find a place for them to ship it to.

[@adsertheblade]

@@DigitalTechReviewsTips I know the feeling. This one does seem like the drone I've been looking for, hopefully it is. Thanks

[@chubbybrothers]

How far can you fly it with the Beacon?And does it have a return to home

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Supposedly up to 1km away. And yes/no. While it does appear to have a “return to me” button on the beacon, it does not have a RTH button like DJI drones do since it lacks a GPS system to be able to mark a physical place in space as home.

[@mrphotomanTIM]

I wonder if any hoverair drones exist, the only videos on the Internet are from paid sponsors. I have yet to see any videos from just a regular consumer

[@voiceactordavid]

I bought the PRO

[@nicekit]

at first i was looking at this.. but unfortunately DJI Neo just around the corner.. it can do even more.......

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Yeah, DJI times that just perfectly to take the wind out of HOVER’s sails. If it really is available for the rumored price point of $329 I see almost no one buying the X1 Pro.

[@Quad8ightMix]

Dji Neo fmc is 360$ here in the Philippines, its been unofficially released a week ago. HoverAir is also popular here in the Philippines, I'm sure everyone is so excited to hear about this upgrade, but the availability will be questionable in its future release. 😊

[@nicekit]

@@Quad8ightMix that's pretty affordable!!!!

[@ConfusedAstroStation-mb2ch]

Nah, got burned by Skydio2, probably my worst gear purchase ever... I'm OK with my DJI Mini 3 Pro. I'd probably wait and see if the hype is real

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Totally feel you there. I’m a big believer in letting the hype die down before making a purchasing decision cause I’ve seen too many people (including myself) buy gear they didn’t really need all off of hype.

[@BloggerCMartinez]

Autel have 8K consumer drone long time ego

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

Yeah you are 100% correct. When I was outlining this video I only remembered the 6K version but now totally remember that they also had the 8K smaller sensor option. Well I guess still first drone under $1000 with 8K? Slightly less impressive but still something.

[@DarkStoneCastle]

The pro max can only go 15 meters high (just like the X1) in the autonomous modes (birds eye) Are you freakin kidding me?

[@bernardverkouille8416]

I really hope that the beacon will expand this range, also in distance, and hopefully also on the x1 that I own 😉

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

*Supposedly* the drones can go higher than 15m high when connected to the controller/beacon. I think they said 120m but there’s no clarity on how it maintains it’s position while doing that or if that means it can’t go that high when just using the drone to wirelessly control the drone. I’m hoping to get an answer from them that I can report back on soon.

[@媽閣廟司辰]

Because it doesn’t have a GPS! It’s just a toy airplane.

[@bernardverkouille8416]

@@媽閣廟司辰a toy “airplane” 😂

[@BikeLife154]

@@bernardverkouille8416He’s from dji 😂

[@alantay9409]

No interest in specs, specs, specs. Show me actual field test on tracking fast moving subject in sports situations.

[@DigitalTechReviewsTips]

In general I try to do a lot more of that in my videos and would love to do that with the Pro/Pro MAX as soon as Hover gets me a drone to test.

[@alantay9409]

@@DigitalTechReviewsTips thank you.

[@dkjdflakjdlfkjklajldfk]

작년겨울 얼음위에서 병신처럼 멍때리다 지혼자 착륙... 그렇게 메일 을 보내서 스마트폰으로 이륙 가능하게 해달라해도 지원안됨.. 수동 이륙만 되면 바로 구할수 있는것도 못구하는 .. dji neo가 곧 출시니 비교당해서 살아남을지 망할지는 곧 결정될일. 기존 hover x1 도 사용자가 카메라 비트레이트 설정을 변경할수 있게해줌 좋은데.. 그것도 죽어도 안해줌.. 밤도 아닌 조금만 어두운 음영 지역에 가면 추적도 실패하는일이 자주있고 기존 hover x1의 업그레이드는 이제 끝인건가.젠장.