Amazon Ring drops manual control for drone cam after demonstration failures, mandating AI operation

Amazon's Ring has decided to eliminate manual control features for its new Drone Cam security drone following two documented collisions during a public demonstration. The company confirmed this change after the device experienced two crashes. The Drone Cam, which was previously announced by Ring on November 10, features a 2K camera, 148-degree view, 360-degree rotation, and automatic LED activation in low light, allowing users to set patrol routes or destinations via the app. During a demonstration by Ring founder Jamie Siminoff, a tech reporter attempted to manually pilot an early version of the drone. The device subsequently fell twice. Ring attributed the first crash to a failure in its obstacle avoidance technology, while the second incident occurred after the drone reportedly struck a wall because it failed to respond to manual input. Siminoff cited a network disconnection as the cause for the second failure, noting that the safety mechanism designed to halt flight upon losing connection did not engage. In response to the issues, Ring spokesperson Sam McGee stated that while the company explored various functionalities during development, the approach of using the AI Pilot for autonomous patrol flights represents the best way to deliver value and experience to customers.