Amazon’s recent media event lifted the curtain on a few products, but one which caught the most attention is an autonomous indoor security drone called the Ring Always Home Cam.
The lightweight, boxy device — with compact dimensions, 5″x 7″x7″ — is designed to fly predetermined paths set by users, thereby providing greater visibility when the residence is vacated. When linked to the Ring Alarm system, users can be alerted to alarmed events via the Ring app and view high-definition video feeds from the drone on mobile devices.
Scheduled to launch sometime in 2021 and retail for $250, the device is geared for users who prefer to monitor their home without installing multiple cameras throughout the residence. In the video above you can watch how the diminutive drone, with four enclosed propellers, lifts off from its base, exposing a camera embedded in an extension below the propeller cage.
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The camera only records when it is in flight, during which the drone makes an audible noise so it is obvious when footage is being recorded, Ring says. When a flight mission is completed, the device returns to the dock and charges its battery. When not in use, the Always Home Cam remains in the dock where the camera is physically blocked.
Ring Founder and CEO Jamie Siminoff told techcrunch.com the inspiration to design and market the advanced home security camera spawned from customer feedback. The company often hears from consumers who desire the ability to view happenstances in their home, but don’t necessarily want cameras deployed throughout their residence.
“It’s not practical to have a camera at every angle in every room of the home,” Siminoff said. “Even if you had unlimited resources, I think it’s still not practical. What I love about the Always Home Cam is that it really does solve this problem of being one cam for all — it allows you to now see every angle of the home, in every part of the home.”
A fit for businesses?
Every connected device is going to bring some security concerns, but one such as this seems particularly well-suited in size to match needs with some SMBs and small organizations.
Many of these businesses struggle to find budget for increased or updated security technology, so could something like this – for a price point well under $500 – see use commercially?
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