Ring unveils a $249.99 flying camera and a $999.99 patrol robot

Amazon's Ring announced a robotics business on November 10, extending its security lineup from fixed cameras to machines that move through homes and businesses. Ring Drone Cam is an indoor flying camera. Ring Rover Cam is a ground robot intended to patrol commercial spaces.

Amazon lists US shipping for Rover on December 16, 2026, at $999.99, and for Drone on January 27, 2027, at $249.99. The announcement says the drone has not yet received required Federal Communications Commission authorization and cannot be offered for sale until it does.

Ring says the drone records 2K video, uses lights in dim rooms and can fly preset routes or investigate triggered sensors. It stays docked with its camera off between flights. Rover has an adjustable periscope camera and two way audio, and can stream and record video at up to 4K while moving or patrolling.

Both use AI Pilot, which combines cameras, vision models, sensors and cloud processing to map spaces and navigate around obstacles. They connect to existing Ring devices through its app. These are capabilities described by the company, rather than results from an independent reliability test.

Amazon marks scheduled patrols and video review as requiring a compatible Ring Protect plan. The hardware price alone therefore does not cover every advertised feature.

For privacy, Ring says Rover's Sleep Mode retracts its camera mast and switches off its microphone. Videos will use Ring's Throw Away the Key encryption. TechCrunch says whether local video storage will be available is unclear.

For makers, the practical questions extend beyond whether the robot can navigate a room: which features need a subscription, what happens when connectivity fails, and how clearly recording controls are explained. The announcement gives buyers some of those details, while the hardware is still awaiting its planned shipping dates.