- The HoverAir Aqua is expected to ship from February 2026
- FCC rules on foreign-made drones changed on December 23, 2025
- Unapproved drones are effectively banned in the United States
Late last year, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added any foreign-made drone not yet approved for sale to its “covered list,” essentially banning the sale of all such future drones.
Although unofficially dubbed the “DJI ban” by much of the world, the move applies to any non-US drone manufacturer – a troubling reality that Zero Zero Robotics may be trying to negotiate right now.
The Chinese company was set to begin shipping its highly anticipated HoverAir Aqua drone in February 2026. For those unfamiliar, the Aqua is a unique camera drone in that it is fully waterproof and designed to fly autonomously alongside surfers, kayakers, and water skiers to capture their splashy escapades in a way that other drones simply aren’t made for.
The Aqua has raised more than $2 million from more than 1,800 backers through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, but since it doesn’t currently appear on the FCC’s list of approved devices, it appears destined to run afoul of the same rules that prohibit the sale of all future versions of DJI drones in the United States.
Already approved for sale in the United States, Zero Zero Robotics’ existing line of drones, such as 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 to say the least.
This is of course bad news for Zero Zero Robotics, but consider the hundreds of US-based backers of HoverAir Aqua’s Indiegogo campaign. They’ve already shelled out money for a product they thought they could get in December 2025 (the originally planned shipping date), only for it to first be delayed until February 2026 and then launched into “maybe never” territory.
It’s raining on the Aqua parade
Right now, the prospect of backers receiving anything – even potentially a refund – seems remote. On January 8, 2026, a representative from Zero Zero Robotics posted the following comments on Aqua’s Indiegogo page:
“Due to a sudden change in regulations in the United States, we have temporarily suspended accepting new orders to ship to U.S. addresses. We are actively exploring all compliance avenues and engaging in relevant communications. Once we have a clearer understanding and concrete conclusions, we will share them with you promptly. Under Indiegogo rules, backers cannot refund their orders once payment has been made. If you need assistance, please contact our support team at [email protected] We will be happy to help you!
“Regarding the new FCC rule and its impact on Aqua, we are actively exploring all compliance avenues and engaging in relevant communications. Please be assured that we are committed to keeping you informed of any impact on the U.S. market and will continue to communicate and evaluate the situation closely. Once we have a clearer understanding and concrete conclusions, we will share them with you as soon as possible.”
Look on it
The FCC rule includes an exception process by which specific drone models can be determined to be safe and actually permitted for importation and sale. However, this must be done by the US Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security, whose priorities may be higher than evaluating and approving the sale of consumer drones.
The HoverAir Aqua is still expected to launch in other territories, and we want to get our hands on a review sample as soon as possible.
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