Amazon demonstrated a low-cost home-security drone this morning.
The Ring Always Home Cam is an autonomous drone that can fly around inside your home to give you a perspective of any room you want when you're not home.
In the clip above, Ring's security system detected an intruder, and the homeowner uses a smartphone app to fly the drone toward the offender - who, luckily, gets scared and runs off rather than swatting it to the floor.
Once it's done flying, the Always Home Cam returns to its dock to charge its battery. It is expected to cost US$250 ($360) when it starts shipping next year.
Ring founder Jamie Siminoff (whose "smart doorbell" company was bought by Amazon in 2018) says the idea behind the Always Home Cam is to provide multiple viewpoints throughout the home without requiring the use of multiple cameras.
The drone has been under development for two years, and complements Amazon trials in various parts of the world to deliver products via UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).
During setup the Aways Home Cam maps of your home, which allows you to ask it for specific viewpoints such as the kitchen or bedroom. It only records while flying.
When you're away, it can be set to fly automated patrols.
In the US, Ring has partnered with more than 400 local police forces to share footage from home cameras - an arrangement that has caught some camera owners by surprise and raised privacy questions. Amazon has said there was no equivalent partnership with law enforcement in NZ.
