By Marcus Yeo for the Just Drones team — updated 20 May 2026
Quick verdict: The Just Drones team’s leftover X1 has been kicking around the office for two years now — its been on three trips and survived a 4-metre faceplant onto pavement. Honest verdict: a great budget AI tracker if you can find it on clearance, the X1 Pro is better in every measurable way at full price.
Specs at a glance
| Weight | ~125g |
| Camera | 2.7K stabilised |
| Flight time | 12 min |
| Tracking | AI subject lock, 5 preset shots |
| Approx. AUD | $399 (clearance) |
HoverAir X1 (original) review
$399+ AUD
What’s good about it
Genuinely pocketable at 125g
Smaller than the X1 Pro. Lives in a jacket pocket easily.
Five preset shots cover the basics
Orbit, follow, dronie, helix, bird’s eye. Enough variety for casual content.
Cheapest entry to AI tracking
~$399 on clearance gets you a credible tracker.
Magnetic prop cage means hand-launch is safe
Same trick as the Pro — cage clicks on, hand-launch confidently. The Just Drones team has handed this to nieces and nephews without bandaid incidents.
What’s not so good
2.7K is showing its age
In 2026 this is a step backwards. Side by side with a Mini 4K shows it.
12 min flight is the real ceiling
Real-world ~10 min. Mediocre.
Wind tolerance is poor
Above 15 km/h breeze, it gets pushed around.
Software hasnt been updated in over a year
App-side improvements have stopped. X1 Pro gets all the love now.
Who should buy this
Hard budget, you want AI tracking, you can find clearance stock under $400.
Who should skip
You can stretch to the X1 Pro — its worth every extra dollar.
Heads up: the buy button above goes to Amazon Australia with the Just Drones team’s affiliate tag drones02-22. Costs you nothing extra; pays for the gear we crash during testing.