Zero Zero Robotics has finally answered the call of the modern traveler with the HOVERAir AQUA, a self-flying camera that is as much a piece of high-end kit as it is a 100% waterproof marvel.

Designed for those who find their best selves on the open sea, this device offers a perspective that is as limitless as the horizon itself.

Award-winning design

Weighing in at under 250 grams, this compact powerhouse has the hidden strength to navigate Level 7 winds and reach spirited speeds of 55 km/h.

In photo: HOVERAir AQUA | Image by MJ Jucutan

This peerless innovation secured the prestigious Red Dot Award, a testament to its triumph of form and function. While traditional drones are famously hydrophobic, the AQUA was built specifically for the elements.

It’s fully waterproof with an IP67 rating, ensuring reliability in both mirror-still freshwater lakes and salt-laden coastal air.

What’s truly clever is its positive buoyancy; the AQUA floats gracefully upon the surface and is capable of taking off or landing directly on the water.

In photo: Controller for the HOVERAir AQUA | Image by MJ Jucutan

Every frame remains crystal clear thanks to a hydrophobic lens and anti-fog technology, so you never have to worry about sea spray or humidity ruining the shot.

Crystal-clear shots

Under the hood, you’ll find a 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensor capable of recording breathtaking 4K video at 100fps. This allow for the creation of cinematic, slow-motion sequences that render every wake and wave in exquisite detail.

With over 15 intelligent flight modes — including specialized settings for surfing, kayaking, and paddling — the AQUA essentially acts as your own personal, invisible cinematographer.

Its SmoothCapture stabilization system keeps your footage as steady as a calm horizon, even in choppy conditions.

For professional wakeboarders and surfers, the AQUA completely removes the need for a follow-cam crew. Now, athletes can head out on the water and capture epic, professional-grade footage entirely on their own.

The HOVERAir AQUA Basic Combo is now available through select luxury retailers and online boutiques in the Philippines, priced at PhP 87,990. 

I have never been particularly fond of heights, yet I always find myself pulled to stand on a mountain ridge. The world feels vast and slightly intimidating from that vantage point.

When I put on the DJI Goggles 3 and enable head tracking, that physical boundary disappears. I’m no longer standing on a ridge holding a controller. I’m inside the flight, soaring at an altitude that makes my stomach drop in a way that feels visceral and real.

This is the core of the DJI Avata 360 experience: It’s about piloting a machine while inhabiting a new perspective.

Seamless transition into flight

The first time you take the DJI Avata 360 up, it meets you where you are. Using the standard RC controller feels familiar right away because the system behaves exactly how a pilot expects it to.

The flight remains stable and predictable, which allows for a high level of trust during the initial minutes in the air. Getting started follows a familiar routine of firmware updates and device pairing.

While the process is not instant, the interface is intuitive enough that most users will reach a comfortable flying state quickly.

Finding creative safety in the open sky

The experience shifts when you enable head tracking and unlock the full 360-degree view. You are no longer just watching the drone fly, but instead, you feel as though you are part of the movement.

This immersion is especially powerful at higher altitudes. This drone fundamentally changes the creative workflow because it allows you to capture the moment first and decide on the framing later.

Traditional shooting requires careful planning and repeated takes to ensure you nailed the angle. With the Avata 360, that pressure is reduced.

Because the sensor captures everything, you can focus on the movement of the drone rather than the boundaries of the frame.

Each battery provides around 15 minutes of flight time, which sounds limiting on paper but proves to be manageable in practice.

Because the shooting style is so efficient, I often capture exactly what I need within a single flight. This drone is a partner for those who document fast-moving situations like races or extreme sports where moments happen only once.

 

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Refining the story in post-production

The visual output feels polished and gives the editor plenty of room to work. Colors are clean and balanced straight out of the camera, which provides flexibility during the grading process.

While the sharpness can lean slightly artificial, dialing it down creates a much more organic look. The inclusion of D-Log and 8K resolution at 60fps provides enough detail to build slow-motion edits without sacrificing quality.

Tracking remains reliable in good lighting, though the system requires more manual awareness once the sun goes down and the obstacle avoidance sensors lose their effectiveness.

Though, the flight experience is strong, but the editing workflow currently introduces some friction. Editing relies heavily on DJI Studio, and the lack of seamless integration with professional tools like Adobe Premiere Pro on Windows creates extra steps.

You often need to pre-render angles before you can bring clips into a main timeline. When compared to the Antigravity A1, the DJI ecosystem still feels more polished and easier to integrate into a working setup, yet the software gap remains a point of frustration.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Avata 360 offers a different way to tell a story by shifting the focus from technical precision to complete immersion. It allows the creator to stop worrying about missing the shot and start thinking about how to feel it.

Swipe Right if your life involves fast-paced environments like extreme sports or travel where moments only happen once.

This is for the person who wants to feel like they are flying rather than just operating a camera. It fits the routine of a creator who values creative safety nets and the ability to reframe a story in post-production.

Swipe left if your workflow requires a fast, seamless turnaround on Windows without extra processing steps. It’s not the ideal choice for those who primarily shoot in low-light conditions or urban areas with high interference.

If you prefer the traditional control of a specification-heavy technical breakdown, the reflective nature of this system may feel less efficient.

Price, availability

The DJI Avata 360 starts at PhP 38,290. With the Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2) or the Motion Fly More Combo (DJI Goggles N3), it retails for PhP 47,890.

DJI just redefined the “single take.”

The new DJI Avata 360 combines the raw thrill of FPV flight with a flagship 8K 360° camera system. It effectively gives creators a flying virtual camera that sees everything at once.

This means you no longer have to worry about pointing a gimbal while flying at high speeds. You can simply record the entire environment and choose your favorite angles later in post-production.

Brilliant imaging, post-flight freedom

The headline feature is the imaging, which utilizes dual 1-inch-equivalent sensors capable of 8K/60fps HDR video and 120MP stills.

These massive 2.4 μm pixels handle low light and high dynamic range like a pro, ensuring light and shadow are captured with exquisite clarity.

If you prefer a more traditional look, you can switch to Single Lens mode to capture classic Avata-style cinematic lines in 4K/60fps.

Because the drone records in a full sphere, the Virtual Gimbal feature allows for infinite rotation and tilt during editing.

You can fly in one direction while digitally rotating the horizon or shifting the perspective to look directly behind the drone without ever changing your actual flight path.

Flagship transmission, smarter safety

DJI didn’t just slap a new camera on the old frame. They beefed up the internals to ensure the flight experience is as stable as the footage.

The drone leverages the flagship O4+ video transmission system to deliver crystal-clear 1080p/60fps feeds with a massive 20 km range and strong anti-interference capabilities.

Safety has also seen a major upgrade with Nightscape omnidirectional obstacle sensing. This makes sunset and low-light flights significantly less stressful.

Plus, the front lens element now features a user-replaceable design. If you push a gap a little too hard and scratch the glass, you can swap it out yourself instead of shipping the whole unit back for repairs.

Intelligent tracking, high-speed workflow

The magic continues once the drone is back on the ground through the DJI Fly and Studio apps.

Features like ActiveTrack 360° and Spotlight Free allow the drone to lock onto subjects and replicate sophisticated camera movements that usually require a professional dual-operator setup.

With 42GB of internal storage and high-speed Wi-Fi 6 transfer, you can capture 30 minutes of 8K footage without an SD card and beam it to your phone at up to 100 MB/s.

Price, availability

The DJI Avata 360 is compatible with DJI Goggles, the RC Motion 3, and standard RC 2 controllers, with pre-orders live today and shipping starting in April 2026.

• DJI Avata 360 (DJI RC 2): PhP 38,290
• DJI Avata 360 Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2): PhP 47,890
• DJI Avata 360 Motion Fly More Combo (Goggles N3): PhP 47,890