Amazon expanded its smart-home ecosystem by introducing Ring Robotics on Tuesday, featuring an indoor security drone and a wheeled business patrol bot, The Register reported.
The consumer-focused Ring Drone Cam launches from a charging dock and flies pre-programmed routes with a 148-degree field-of-view 2K camera. It includes LED illumination for night patrols and responds to connected alarm systems.
The business-oriented Ring Rover Cam features a telescoping camera mast that records in up to 4K resolution. It includes a siren, lights, and two-way audio to let operators address intruders during off-hours patrols.
AI Pilot and floor plan mapping
Both autonomous systems run on AI Pilot, a custom-built architecture utilizing on-device sensors and cloud processing to move through interiors. The devices map spaces by generating interior floor plans as they explore.
Users carry the drone or let the rover explore to map rooms, while AI Pilot identifies room types and suggests key patrol areas. Videos rely on an encryption scheme named Throw Away the Key Encryption, or TAKE, which temporarily holds keys in a secure cloud enclave before deletion.
“We take privacy concerns seriously, and we believe privacy and customer control are fundamental to building products people trust,” a Ring spokesperson told The Register.
Regulatory friction follows past privacy settlements
The hardware launch arrives alongside a history of regulatory friction. Ring agreed to a $5.8 million settlement with the FTC in 2023 over allegations involving private video access and account security.
Jamie Siminoff defended the new direction. “It’s not just a new category of security; it’s the beginning of a future where proactive, autonomous protection is something every home and every business can have,” Siminoff said.
Ring Rover Cam ships in December while Drone Cam awaits FCC authorization
The Ring Rover Cam will start shipping on December 16 at a price of about $1,000. Meanwhile, the Ring Drone Cam faces regulatory hurdles.
“Ring Drone Cam has not been authorized as required by the rules of the FCC,” Amazon said in its release, listing a tentative release date of January 27, 2027, subject to federal approval.
