Ring launches $1,000 security rover and $270 indoor drone

By Grace Kim

Ring will begin selling the $1,000 Ring Rover Cam on December 16 and launch the $270 Ring Drone Cam next year on January 27.

The company announced Ring Robotics on Tuesday, establishing a robotics division within Amazon-owned Ring. Two devices target automated security in homes and businesses.

What can the indoor drone do?

The Ring Drone Cam flies between rooms to inspect a home while the owner is out. It can alert the user if trouble arises.

The drone integrates with other Ring home-security devices. Ring says an alarm in a defined area, such as the back door, can send the drone to investigate. When the owner does not use it, the drone stays inactive in its docking bay.

The camera records 2K video. LED lights support night patrols and low-light recording. Users can control the drone through Amazon’s Alexa Home Map and schedule patrols for specific times. Ring says the drone keeps owners apprised of activity during evenings out and vacations.

How does the rover patrol a business?

The Ring Rover Cam follows set routes at scheduled times inside a business. It streams continuous 4K video through the Ring mobile application. A trigger can start automatic recording when the robot detects a human.

A periscope camera adjusts to see over specific obstacles. Two-way audio lets a remote operator speak with a store employee or burglar. Ring positions both robots as mobile guards that work without a fixed base.

Ring says both devices run the same proprietary AI system, known as AI Pilot. The company says it uses “specialized vision models, sensors, and cloud processing to see, think, and navigate autonomously.”

Ring also says the robots develop a detailed schematic of a house or office by exploring the space themselves. The company compared the devices to a guard on patrol who never clocks out.

Ring said: “Ring Rover can do a sweep of the floor after close and investigate when sensor trips at 2 a.m. — streaming it all to your phone, wherever you are.”

Why did Amazon retire Astro?

Amazon launched its own home security robot, Astro, in 2021. Ring says feedback from Amazon Astro customers inspired the new rover. Astro began as a nebulous domestic helper before Amazon repurposed it as an enterprise security product.

The robot did not gain traction in the market. Amazon retired Astro seven months after its repositioning as a small-business security guard. Automated security remains an area the technology industry has yet to crack.

What does Ring say about privacy?

Privacy concerns have long dogged Ring. Critics have alleged that its cameras feed unofficial surveillance networks that police departments can and routinely do tap. Similar complaints are likely to follow for devices that can move through private homes and stores.

Ring says it built privacy and security into both products. Ring protects recorded video with TAKE (Throw Away the Key Encryption). The company calls TAKE its strongest default encryption to date.

Local video storage remains unconfirmed. Ring cameras generally record to the cloud.

The $1,000 Rover’s December 16 launch and the $270 drone’s January 27 debut will test whether AI patrols can overcome the commercial failure that followed Amazon’s Astro robot.