Amazon’s Ring debuts security robots including a drone

Amazon introduced a new lineup of security devices under the Ring Robotics brand, featuring an indoor security drone and a patrol robot for businesses, according to WIRED and Fox Business. Ring founder and chief inventor Jamie Siminoff stated that the company aimed to provide eyes in places fixed cameras cannot reach. The tiny, 165-gram Drone Cam is priced at $250 and is scheduled to launch on January 27, while the $1,000 Ring Rover Cam for businesses launches first on December 16. Fox Business reported that a compatible subscription plan costs $5 per month or $60 per year for full functionality.\n\nAccording to WIRED, the Drone Cam lifts out of its charging dock and autonomously flies upstairs to give users a first-person view on their phone. The drone features a 148-degree field of view, 360-degree rotation, and dual built-in LED lights for low-light environments, as detailed by Fox Business. It flies for five to eight minutes per charge, runs a motor health check before every take-off, and relies on a custom AI Pilot agent in the cloud to navigate and avoid people and objects. WIRED reported that users cannot manually control the drone, but can set up custom flight routes and patrol schedules that respond automatically to security sensors. The device requires a Wi-Fi network and the Alexa Home Map, and because it stays indoors and weighs below the 250-gram threshold, it does not need to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration.\n\nFor businesses, the Ring Rover Cam covers up to 5,000 square feet, operates for about 30 minutes on a charge, features a telescoping 4K camera, two-way talk, and a built-in siren, as reported by WIRED. Siminoff stated that the Rover was inspired by customer feedback on Amazon's previous Astro robot. WIRED noted that the Rover shares hardware guts with Astro and uses the same AI Pilot system to navigate factory floors and warehouses. Siminoff addressed privacy and security by highlighting the company's TAKE technology for encrypting video in transit, while noting the drone is intentionally loud so bad actors cannot snoop without tipping off people in the home. However, Thorin Klosowski of the Electronic Frontier Foundation cautioned that products like the drone can make people feel less safe at home, urging users to consider how such devices impact family and visitors.