Ring’s new Ring Drone Cam is a small indoor drone that lives in a charging dock and flies around your home to check on things when a sensor goes off. It costs $249.99, and Amazon says it will start shipping to customers in the U.S. on Jan. 27, 2027. You cannot order it yet, and the real yearly cost depends on a Ring plan that Ring has not named.
The short version
The Ring Drone Cam is a $249.99 flying indoor security camera that ships in the U.S. on Jan. 27, 2027. It flies for up to 8 minutes, works on one floor only, and needs a Ring Protect plan for scheduled patrols.
- The Drone Cam costs $249.99, and you can only sign up to be notified for now, not preorder.
- Amazon says it has not yet been authorized by the FCC, so it cannot be sold until it is.
- Each flight lasts up to 8 minutes, and it only maps and flies on one floor of your home for now.
- It records only while flying, has no microphone or speaker, and has no infrared night vision.
- With a Ring plan, the first year costs about $300 to $450, depending on which plan Ring says it needs.
How the Ring Drone Cam works
According to Amazon’s announcement and Ring’s product page, the drone sits in its dock with its camera off until a flight starts. Then it can do three things:
- Respond to alerts. When a Ring camera, sensor or alarm is triggered, it flies on its own to the spots you picked ahead of time.
- Go where you send it. In the Ring app you can send it to a room, to a saved view, or to a spot you tap on a map of your home.
- Patrol on a schedule. It can fly set routes at set times, but this needs a paid Ring Protect plan.
To do this, a feature Ring calls AI Pilot maps your home into a floor plan, names the rooms, suggests patrol spots and steers around obstacles. When a flight ends or the battery runs low, it flies back to the dock to charge.
Ring Drone Cam specs that matter
| Spec | Ring Drone Cam |
|---|---|
| Price | $249.99 |
| Ships | Jan. 27, 2027 (U.S.) |
| Flight time | Up to 8 minutes per flight (Ring’s tests, new battery) |
| Floors | One floor only for now |
| Video | 2K (1920 x 1920), 148-degree view |
| Night | Two LED spotlights, no infrared night vision |
| Audio | No microphone or speaker |
| Weight | 165 grams |
Ring is also plain about the noise. Amazon’s announcement says the drone’s “propellers aren’t quiet,” so this is not a camera that sneaks around.
What the Ring Drone Cam really costs per year
Ring says a “compatible Ring Protect plan” is required for scheduled flights and patrols, but it has not said which plan counts. Here is the first-year cost with each current plan on Ring’s plans page, checked Nov. 13, 2026, if you pay yearly:
| Plan | Plan price per year | Drone plus plan, first year |
|---|---|---|
| Ring Solo (one device) | $49.99 | $299.98 |
| Ring Multi (all devices at one home) | $99.99 | $349.98 |
| Ring Pro (adds 24/7 professional monitoring) | $199.99 | $449.98 |
If you already pay for Ring Multi or Ring Pro for your other cameras, the drone may add little or nothing to your yearly bill once Ring confirms it is covered. If you do not have any Ring devices yet, the drone is not much use on its own, since its best trick is reacting to your other Ring cameras and sensors.
The real shift: instead of putting a camera in every room, one camera goes to the room that needs checking. For a single-floor home that already has a Ring alarm, that could mean fewer fixed indoor cameras. For anyone else, it is an expensive extra.
Privacy: when the Ring Drone Cam records
Ring says the drone “only records while flying” and stops recording when it is docked, with lights that show its status. Amazon says videos will be protected by Ring’s “Throw Away the Key” encryption, which it calls “Ring’s strongest default encryption yet.” Ring does not mention a physical camera cover. If anyone else lives with you, talk about where the drone is allowed to fly before you set up patrol routes.
While you are in the Ring app, it is also a good moment to turn on two-step sign-in. Our guide on how to secure every account you own in one afternoon shows how.
Should you buy the Ring Drone Cam?
Buy it if: you live on one floor, you already use a Ring alarm or several Ring cameras, and you want to check any room from your phone without adding more fixed cameras.
The downside: 8-minute flights, one floor only, no night vision, no two-way talk, a plan Ring has not named yet, and propellers Ring itself says are not quiet.
Skip if: you live in a two-story home, you have no other Ring devices, or you want to hear and talk to whoever is in the room. A fixed indoor camera with two-way talk is the better fit for that job.
Ring also announced the Rover Cam, a $999.99 wheeled security robot. It is designed for businesses, not homes, and ships in the U.S. starting Dec. 16, 2026. If you want a cheaper home gadget this season, see our Black Friday tech deals list.
