A camera with detachable propellers just bypassed the US drone import ban — here’s how

Zero Zero Robotics has found a clever way around the FCC's December ban on importing foreign drones and their components. The company introduced the HoverAir Versa, a camera with detachable propellers, which it markets not as a drone but as a mini-gimbal with an optional "flight kit" accessory.

"The flight kit is an accessory that expands Versa's capabilities. Thus, HoverAir fully complies with current regulatory requirements for the complete product configuration offered to consumers in the US," the company stated. The strategy worked: on August 9, the FCC approved the HoverAir Versa, and the company launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.

However, The Verge notes that the situation is more nuanced. When the FCC banned the import of foreign drones, it also blocked automatic approval of radio equipment for unmanned aerial vehicles from foreign manufacturers. Cameras, with the exception of products from DJI and Autel Robotics, are not subject to the ban. The approval for HoverAir Versa was granted by a private company authorized by the FCC, but the commission retains the right to revoke it.

The propellers connect to the camera via copper contacts and contain no radio module. The ban on drone components includes cameras, and since the HoverAir Versa camera has a built-in radio module, it falls under FCC jurisdiction. If the FCC determines that the HoverAir Versa is a "critical component of a UAV," the approval could be withdrawn, potentially blocking the device from the US market.