HoverAir Versa review: Convenience and creativity with compromises

The device is a clever combination that makes a lot of sense, but don’t expect the best of both worlds.

James Trew for Engadget

RATING : 8 / 10

• Decent gimbal camera
• Converts into a drone
• Solid accessory selection

• Lacks advanced camera modes
• No obstacle avoidance

Calling a drone a "flying camera" is a bit like calling a small plane a "flying car." If your only option is to fly it, it's just a drone. But what if it was an actual camera, that could also fly? Enter the HoverAir Versa ($539), which is exactly that.

The Versa is a handheld gimbal camera similar to DJI's Pocket 4 or the Insta360 Luna Pro. Snap on a magnetic accessory, though, and it becomes a mini drone or... a flying camera.

HoverAir isn't new to the game, with its debut Passport selfie drone launching over 10 years ago. The Versa is the company's first stab at a handheld camera though, and there's already a small speed bump. Due to an FCC take-backsie, the Versa's US availability is unclear. The handheld camera could be available at some point, but the drone feature is causing the same legal tangles that cleared shelves of DJI products in the US. Most of the rest of the world, including Canada (and thus eBay resellers no doubt), will have access to the full kit.

The 2-in1 is an intuitive idea, but it does raise some questions. Are there compromises in either mode? Can a company far smaller than DJI beat them at their own game? A couple of weeks with the Versa revealed a surprising answer.

What exactly is the HoverAir Versa?

James Trew for Engadget

First and foremost, the Versa is a camera. It has a max resolution of 4K/60 fps combined with a 1/1.3-inch sensor. That puts it somewhere between the Pocket 4 (1-inch) and the Neo 2 (½-inch) in terms of pixel size and low-light performance. The camera has 2x (in-sensor) zoom, will support H-Log in a future update and includes a 10-bit HDR mode. The gimbal is 3-axis, the same as its handheld rivals from DJI and Insta360, but one more axis than the Neo 2 — which is DJI's most comparable drone right now. HoverAir claims the Versa has 17.5 stops of dynamic range, which was one of the main selling points of DJI's pricier Osmo Pocket 4P, though photos are limited to 12 megapixels. There's 55GB of available internal storage, expandable by SD card.

Of course, the Versa is more than just a gimbal camera, and its ability to pull double duty comes with a notable perk. In drone mode, the Versa has swappable batteries. That's essential for a drone, but pretty rare for a handheld gimbal camera.

Pop the propellers on and, instead of the usual preview on the 1.64-inch screen, you'll see a menu to switch between a set of preset flight patterns. The drone has downward sensors for maintaining position and palm takeoff/landing, but there's zero obstacle avoidance. In follow mode, it uses software smarts to track your path from behind. If it's in front of you, though, things are a little more dicey as it'll track you via the camera but has no idea what's behind it.

HoverAir Versa: Handheld mode

James Trew for Engadget

The Versa's design in handheld mode is pretty boxy. I'm going to assume this comes down to aerodynamics, as it's not particularly stylish. The 1.64-inch display is practical but noticeably cramped if you're used to either the Osmo Pocket 4 or the Luna Pro's larger 2-inch screens.

HoverAir states that the Versa has a 19mm equivalent lens with an f2.0 aperture. That's similar to the Luna Pro (f1.8/20mm) and Osmo Pocket 4 (f2.0/20mm), but that 1mm makes all the difference as the Versa shoots noticeably wider. There's also an ultra-wide mode for a more "action-cam" style point of view. The 2x zoom is functional and adds some flexibility to your shot options, but there's no smooth zoom in or out. It's 1x zoom or 2x and nothing in between.

The footage from the Versa is sharp and the gimbal smooths things out in a natural way, but the color balance feels a little less natural than its DJI and Insta360s rivals. Outdoors, in bright sunlight, the blue of the sky is heavily saturated. Indoors, I found the image a little warm, with white walls taking a slightly beige hue. The 4K videos look clear and detailed, but with everything in focus, they feel more like something from a high-end action camera rather than a current-gen pocket camera, the latter tends to include a small amount of subject separation.

HoverAir Versa: Drone mode

James Trew for Engadget

Attaching the flight kit is incredibly simple and drives home the key selling point of the Versa: It's genuinely two products in one. In drone mode, the Versa looks a lot like HoverAir's X1 and X1 Pro Max, complete with the durable, but flexible, prop cage. There may not be obstacle avoidance, but if the Versa does take a ding it shouldn't cause, or take, any damage.

As with most drones this size, the Versa is designed to be flown without a controller. You primarily fly through one of the preset modes: hover in place, follow, orbit and so on. There is the option for manual flight via the app and there are controller accessories if you want something a little more tactile. But with the preset modes and gesture control, it's easy to get most tracking or establishing-style shots, which is likely the primary use case for something this size.

In the social media age, there is, of course, a vertical shooting mode and there are even some cinematic shots like Dolly zoom and an AI framing mode. Perhaps most curious is the "3D worlds" option that sets the drone to fly around you, and it'll then create a VR-style three-dimensional model that you can export. Just to make sure you know it's not just for realtors, you can add and edit 3D emojis before export. It's fun, and works surprisingly well. I'm not sure I need the emojis though.

HoverAir Versa versus the competition

James Trew for Engadget

This is where things get interesting as we have two different categories of rivals to compare it to.

As a pocket camera

At $539, the Versa is taking the $600 Luna Pro almost head on. And it's a tough fight, as the Luna Pro shoots up to 8K video (plus 50-megapixel photos), has a larger 1-inch sensor, superior slow-mo modes (up to 120 fps) and a slew of other video modes and features. DJI's Pocket 4 also out-specs the Versa almost across the board, though price will vary depending on where you're sourcing one in the US

As a mini drone

Here is where things are a little more complicated as to buy this as a drone, you need to buy the camera plus the flight kit (or a bundle where available). The cheapest bundle costs $649. The Neo 2, despite no official US availability, can be found on Amazon for $300. HoverAir's own X1 Promax — which has the same 1/1.3 sensor and shoots in 8K — costs $699. The regular X1 Pro, which bests the Versa in some specs like max fps and flight time, but has a smaller sensor and only 32GB of storage, currently costs $499.

Defining a new category

James Trew for Engadget

What the Versa does that its competition doesn't goes beyond the obvious. Yes, it faces arguably superior competition in both modes — even from its sister products. But the Versa shows a smarter way of doing things. A lot of people love the Neo 2, for example, for its portability, and they are happy to take some functional tradeoffs for that convenience. The Versa amplifies that by reducing what you need to carry even further.

It's also worth mentioning that, despite lacking a few features in both drone and handheld modes, the Versa has some comprehensive accessories at launch. For starters, there's an official ND filter kit, which goes a long way to elevating the camera's cinematic potential. HoverAir also sent over a magnetic tripod accessory that includes a tripod thread which further expands its usefulness. Plus there's a tiny handheld controller that enhances the drone experience enough that it doesn't just feel like an add-on.

The Versa supports external/USB microphones which is pretty vital for a pocket camera these days, but that extends to drone mode, too. HoverAir included noise-cancellation that does an impressive job of eliminating propeller noise, further boosting the Versa's all-in-one vlogging credentials. One small bugbear is that SD cards under 64GB are not supported. It's not a huge deal but, if like me, you have a bunch of 32GB cards in your rotation, it's a minor frustration.

Wrap-up

James Trew for Engadget

If you just want a mini drone or a pocket camera, the Versa doesn't make a strong economic case for itself versus something like the Neo 2. If you were considering buying something like a Pocket 4/Luna Pro and a small drone, then suddenly the economics and the compromises look a little more favorable.

What you will get though is a capable gimbal camera that is just at home in your hand as it is following you on the trail. That level of convenience will be compelling to a specific subset of creators and gadget-dads on vacation (like me). If you are in the market for a gimbal camera, the "flying" upgrade is a genuine selling point, but know that there are some real tradeoffs.