Ring, the Amazon-owned home security company, has announced the launch of its new Ring Robotics division, introducing AI-enabled flying drones and wheeled robots designed for indoor surveillance of homes and businesses. The new devices leverage artificial intelligence to learn the layouts of spaces and can autonomously patrol or respond to security alerts.
The flagship product is the Ring Drone Cam, a "flying indoor security camera" that can launch on scheduled flights or be dispatched to investigate incidents detected by other Ring security devices. It is equipped with a high-resolution camera and LED lights for low-light conditions. Users can monitor their homes remotely via Amazon's Alexa Home Map, with the drone set to be available in late January for $270.
Complementing the drone is the "Rover Cam," a wheeled robot designed primarily for patrolling businesses. This device can autonomously navigate commercial spaces, covering up to 5,000 square feet. It features a periscope camera for peering over obstacles and a two-way audio function. The Rover Cam will be available in mid-December for $1,000. It can also be configured to begin recording automatically when it detects a person.
Both the Drone Cam and Rover Cam utilize Ring's proprietary AI Pilot system, which combines vision models, sensors, and cloud processing for autonomous navigation. Ring has positioned these devices as continuously patrolling security assets, with the rolling bot capable of sweeping business premises after hours or investigating sensor alerts.
This expansion into robotics follows Amazon's previous attempts in the automated security sector. The company had previously launched the Astro home security robot in 2021, which was later rebranded for business use before the endeavor was discontinued. The new indoor-only robots are likely to face renewed scrutiny regarding privacy concerns, a recurring issue for Ring, which has previously faced allegations of aiding unofficial surveillance networks and improper data access.