The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ban has once again drawn attention. Three days after the Indiegogo campaign launched, orders for the HoverAir Versa have been suspended. The HoverAir Versa is a lightweight camera with a built-in stabilizer that can be transformed into a drone via a detachable module with propellers.
Image source: indiegogo.com
HoverAir warned sponsors that for some reason, only the camera itself, and not the flight kit module that turns it into a drone, would be sent to the United States. “Unresolved logistics issues”. Records of the HoverAir Versa have disappeared from the FCC database – it’s reasonable to assume that the previously issued license has been revoked.
The result was predictable – attempts to circumvent the FCC ban by simply attaching propellers to cameras may be doomed to fail. Chinese company Zero Zero Robotics tried to convince committee representatives that the import of the camera should not be banned because the manufacturer was not on the list of regulated cameras in the camera category – which was indeed the case. But all manufacturers are automatically included in the drone category by the FCC because the camera is classified as one of their critical components.
If the HoverAir camera’s approval is permanently revoked, the company won’t be able to advertise and sell the flight kit in the U.S., nor can it sell the camera itself, as it still requires FCC approval. So far, for US users on Indiegogo, there’s no option to select the Flight Kit – the option appears when you turn on your VPN and select Canada as your location – but the platform still doesn’t allow shipping to the US.
If you find an error, select it with your mouse and press CTRL+ENTER.
