China's HoverAir Versa Uses Modular Components to Get Around the FCC's Foreign Drone Ban

Editors' Note: This story has been updated to reflect additional information and comments provided by a HoverAir representative.

HoverAir, an imprint of China's Zero Zero Robotics, has the dubious honor of being the first victim of the FCC's foreign drone ban . Its waterproof Aqua drone debuted last year on Indiegogo, but it never reached US customers due to the ban on newly introduced foreign drones .

However, Hover's Versa, a handheld, gimbal-stabilized vlogging camera that works with an optional Flight Kit to convert it to a drone, has now become the first consumer quadcopter to earn FCC certification since the agency's foreign drone ban was enacted last year.

Also launching on Indiegogo, the Versa is a handheld vlogging camera, similar to the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 . It shares the Pocket's candy-bar shape and 3-axis stabilized camera. But unlike the Pocket 3, which is strictly for handheld use, the Versa snaps into a set of propellers and converts into a selfie drone. And it's the modular design that gets the nod from the FCC.

HoverAir Says It 'Received the Required FCC Certification'

I'll admit, when news of the Versa showed up in my in-box, I wasn't expecting it to come to the US, at least not in a form that can take flight. The FCC has yet to exempt any consumer products from its foreign drone ban and, in recent weeks, has begun revoking approvals for several drones previously approved for sale in the US. But the company states plainly, "HoverAir Versa has received the required FCC certification for sale in the USA."

I immediately asked the company how it managed to get the Versa past the FCC, an agency that's been downright hostile to camera drones for the past eight months. It turns out, the piecemeal design is the secret. "The Flight Kit is an accessory designed to extend the HoverAir Versa's capabilities," a HoverAir representative tells PCMag, "but because it contains no RF transmitters, it does not require a separate FCC ID or individual listing in the FCC database." It's a novel approach, and to be candid, I'm surprised it worked.

That explains why the Versa and its remote control show up in the FCC database, while the Flight Kit is nowhere to be found. The Flight Kit communicates with and is powered by the Versa camera module; the two connect magnetically and use tiny pogo pins for data and power, which is enough for the propellers to avoid the FCC's scrutiny.

Of course, in recent weeks, the FCC has shown it's willing to revoke approvals, even for devices it has only recently certified. But if things pan out for HoverAir, the Versa will be the first consumer drone to reach the US market since foreign drones were placed on the Covered List last December. It's a huge about-face from the FCC , to the point of seeming out of character for the agency.

Thankfully, drone pilots flying under recreational rules won't have to worry about other government red tape with the Versa. When assembled and ready to fly, the device weighs 230g, which is light enough to avoid FAA registration and Remote ID requirements. That cuts both ways, though, as licensed drone pilots will need to attach an external Remote ID transmitter (sold separately) to fly the Versa for commercial applications.

As for the Versa itself, it looks like a pretty solid camera for content creation, at least on paper. It records stabilized video at up to 4K60, uses a fairly large Type 1/1.3 image sensor, and includes an OLED touch screen. There is one claim that stands out as dubious, however: HoverAir says that the Versa captures footage with up to 17.5 stops of dynamic range, which would put it ahead of any other vlogging camera on the market, even the revolutionary DJI Osmo Pocket 4P . I'd take that claim with a huge heaping pile of salt.

Pricing and Availability

I'm skeptical of any crowdfunding project, but if you're a US drone enthusiast who's been itching for a new model, you may elect to throw caution to the wind and back the Versa. The campaign is live today on Indiegogo . You can get the camera only for $449 through Thursday, after which it goes up to $499. The FlyMore Combo, which adds the Flight Kit, is $629 for early birds and $887 for later shoppers. There's also a Creator Combo, which adds extra batteries and other accessories at $799 through Thursday, and $1,270 thereafter.

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