Ring is finally releasing a flying security camera. The Amazon-owned company announced Ring Robotics today, a new line of security devices that move on their own. The first two are the Ring Drone Cam, a $249.99 indoor drone for homes, and the Ring Rover Cam, a $999.99 patrol robot for businesses.
Both devices work with the Ring cameras, doorbells, sensors and alarms people already own. You control them from the same Ring app on your Android phone.
Ring first showed the drone idea in 2020 as the Always Home Cam, but that version never went on sale. Android Headlines points to an interview in which founder Jamie Siminoff told The Verge that Ring has worked on the project since 2016. He said the team came close to shipping two earlier versions before settling on this one.
AI Pilot maps your space
Both robots run on a system Ring calls AI Pilot. It combines the devices' cameras, vision models, on-board sensors and cloud processing to find its way around. To set up the drone, you carry it through your home once. The Rover explores a business on its own. Either way, the system builds a floor plan, labels the rooms and suggests patrol points such as a side door, windows or a cash register.
When a patrol starts, AI Pilot picks a route from its map and steers around furniture, shelving and other obstacles as it goes.
“The honest answer wasn't more cameras; it meant reimagining what a security device could be,” Siminoff, Ring's founder and chief inventor, said in the announcement.
Ring Drone Cam
The Drone Cam waits in a dock until it's needed. You can send it out on demand or have it fly saved routes on a schedule. Here are the main features:
- 2K video with a 148-degree field of view and the ability to rotate 360 degrees
- Two LED lights that turn on automatically in dark rooms
- Flies to preset patrol points on its own when another Ring camera, sensor or alarm is triggered
- Can be controlled from Amazon's new Alexa Home Map
- Weighs 165 grams, according to The Verge, as cited by Android Headlines
Ring Rover Cam
The Rover Cam is a wheeled robot for stores, offices and other businesses. Ring says the idea came from owners of Amazon's Astro home robot, who said roving security was the feature they liked most. Ring built the Rover from Astro's strongest parts, but as a dedicated security device rather than a general-purpose home robot.
- A periscope camera on an adjustable mast that can see over counters and shelves, with the height saved for each stop
- Streams and records in up to 4K the whole time it's moving, not just at stops
- A 360-degree scan when it reaches each patrol point
- A siren, a light tower and two-way audio
- Person detection that keeps working while it's docked
- Scheduled patrols, for example after closing or before opening
Privacy controls
Ring is putting privacy first in its pitch. The company settled with the FTC in 2023 after employees accessed customer videos. Ring says the drone shuts down in its dock with its camera off and only starts recording once it takes off.
The Rover has a Sleep Mode that lowers the periscope and turns off the microphone. Both devices have LED lights that show when they're recording, and the Rover also shows this on its screen. Video from both is protected by Ring's Throw Away the Key (TAKE) encryption. Ring also says the drone's propellers are intentionally loud, so people will notice it.
Price and availability
| Device | US price | Ships |
|---|---|---|
| Ring Drone Cam | $249.99 | January 27, 2027 |
| Ring Rover Cam | $999.99 | December 16, 2026 (preorders open now) |
There are two catches. Scheduled patrols, scheduled flights and video history require a compatible Ring Protect plan. Also, Ring's announcement says the Drone Cam has not been authorized by the FCC as of November 10, 2026, and it can't be sold until it is. That's why there are no Drone Cam preorders yet. For now, Ring is only offering email updates on Amazon.
As Android Authority notes, the Rover Cam will reach customers first. The key thing to watch for the drone is FCC approval, which has to come before the planned January 27 ship date.
Sources: Amazon, Android Authority, Android Headlines
