- The HoverAir Aqua is due to ship from February 2026
- FCC’s rules on foreign-made drones changed on December 23, 2025
- Unapproved drones are effectively banned in US
At the tail end of last year, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added any foreign-made drone not already approved for sale to its “Covered List”, essentially banning all such future drones from sale.
Despite being informally dubbed the “DJI ban” by much of the world, this ruling applies to any non-US drone maker – a troubling reality that Zero Zero Robotics may be attempting to negotiate right now.
The Chinese company was poised to start shipping its highly anticipated HoverAir Aqua drone in February 2026. For the unversed, the Aqua is a unique camera drone in that it’s fully waterproof, and designed to autonomously fly alongside surfers, kayakers and water-skiers in order to capture their splashy escapades in a way that other drones just aren’t cut out for.
The Aqua raised over $2 million from over 1800 backers through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, but as it does not currently appear on the FCC’s list of approved devices, it seems destined to fall foul of the same rules which prohibit all future DJI drone releases for being sold in the US.
Being already approved for sale in the US, Zero Zero Robotics’ existing range of drones, like the HoverAir X1, HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax will remain in stores. But the fate of future launches, including the Aqua, is murky at best.
It’s bad news for Zero Zero Robotics of course, but spare a thought for the hundreds of US-based backers of the HoverAir Aqua’s Indiegogo campaign. They’ve already paid out money for a product they assumed they may get in December 2025 (the original targeted shipping date), only for it to be first delayed to February 2026 and then pitched into “possibly never” territory.
Raining on the Aqua’s parade
At present, the prospect of backers receiving anything – even potentially a refund – seems distant. On January 8 2026, a Zero Zero Robotics rep posted the following comments on the Aqua’s Indiegogo page:
“Due to a sudden regulatory change in the United States, we have temporarily paused accepting new orders for shipment to U.S. addresses. We are actively exploring all compliance pathways and engaging in relevant communications. Once we have a clearer understanding and concrete conclusions, we will share them with you promptly. According to Indiegogo’s rules, backers cannot refund their orders once payment has been completed. If you need any assistance, please contact our support team at [email protected]. We’ll be happy to help!”
“Regarding the new FCC’s rule and its impact on Aqua, we are actively exploring all compliance pathways and engaging in relevant communications. Please rest assured that we are committed to keeping you informed about any impacts on the US market and will continue to communicate and assess the situation closely. Once we have a clearer understanding and concrete conclusions, we will share them with you promptly.”
The FCC’s rule does include an exception process whereby specific drone models can be determined to be risk-free and effectively cleared for import and sale. However, this needs to be done by the US Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security, who might have bigger priorities than assessing and approving consumer drones for sale.
The HoverAir Aqua should still be launching in other territories, and we’re keen to get our hands on a review sample as soon as possible.
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