Fly Smart, Fly Safe: Your Guide to Preventing Flyaway Incidents

We know that heart-sinking feeling when you lose sight of your HOVERAir. Don't worry—we're here to help you prevent that from ever happening! This guide is packed with simple tips to keep your adventures safe and stress-free. Let's dive in! 

> Your #1 Rule: Always read the correct Safety Guide for your device before you fly!

• HOVERAir X1 Smart & X1: Please review the Disclaimer and Safety Instructions.
• HOVERAir X1 PRO & PROMAX: Please review the Disclaimer and Safety Instructions.
• HOVERAir AQUA:Please review the Disclaimer and Safety Instructions.

🛡️ Prevention is Key: Before You Fly

The Universal Checklist (For ALL HOVERAir Models)

• Device Check: Open your HOVERAir App and ensure there are no warning messages. If you’re using a Beacon, verify that it’s connected and functioning properly.
• Location Scout:
  • Stay Safe: Keep away from power lines, crowds, and no-fly zones.
  • Weather Watch: Avoid flying in strong winds (4 or 5 on the Beaufort scale), rain, or snow.
  • Water Warning: Always stay higher than 1.5 meters (5 feet) above water.
• Smart Settings:
  • Lost Connection Action: Set this to “Return to Home” or “Return 30m.”
  • Return Height: Manually set a return height that is higher than the tallest tree or building around you.

Model-Specific Superpowers

• Your Secret Weapon: Always enable the “Locate My HOVER” audio feature before you fly. If your device lands unexpectedly, it will play a sound to help you locate it.
• Keep it Simple: Your HOVERAir is designed to fly close to you. If you lose connection, it usually hasn’t gone far. Retrace your planned flight path to find it.
• Best Environments: For optimal performance, avoid flying over water, blank surfaces (like fresh snow), or on very windy days.

• The Golden Rule: For any outdoor flight, always wait for the OmniTerrain icon to light up before you start. This feature enhances stability and security.

• Pre-Flight Checklist: Before every outdoor flight, please make sure to wait for both the Omni Terrain and RTK icons to light up before taking off. These features are essential for enhancing flight stability and safety.

• Where it Works: OmniTerrain is ideal for open spaces and allows confident flying in more complex environments, such as:
  • Over water (remember the 1.5m rule)
  • Near cliffs
  • On rooftops
• How to Activate: Turn on your device in a clear, open area. Wait for the OmniTerrain icon in the app to activate, indicating it’s ready.
• Pro Tip: Staying in one place when you turn it on helps it get a signal faster.
• Flying Over Water? Read This!
  • While OmniTerrain makes it possible to capture great shots over water, your device is not waterproof.
  • Why 1.5 meters? Water can interfere with the sensors. Maintaining a safe distance ensures stability and prevents accidents.
  • For the best experience over water, we recommend manual control or non-follow automated modes.

• What it is: RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) is a centimeter-level positioning technology. On HOVERAir AQUA, it's called Lighthouse Tracking. It solves the problem of visual tracking losing targets.
• Where it Works: RTK is ideal for open outdoor spaces and enables confident flying in complex environments, such as:
   
• Over water (no special height rule for AQUA — just ensure RTK icon is green)
• Surfing (tracking through waves, even in tube sessions)
• Kayaking / Lakes (fog, spray — stays locked without visual)
• Solo sessions (Lighthouse vibrates to notify status — no need to watch phone)
   
  How to Activate: Turn on Lighthouse and AQUA in a clear, open outdoor area. Wait for the RTK icon in the app to turn solid green. RTK lock typically takes 30–60 seconds.
   
• RTK Status Indicators:

• Icon	Status	Meaning
  🟡 Yellow — "Activating"	RTK searching, precision < 2.5	⚠️ Limited tracking, wait for green
  🟢 Green — "ON"	RTK active, precision ≥ 2.5	✅ Ready to fly
  🔴 Red — "Not ON"	RTK timeout (>1 min)	⚠️ Basic GPS only, avoid complex environments

• Pro Tip: Stay in one place when activating — ensures faster signal lock. Keep Lighthouse antenna pointed straight up for best signal.
   
• Flying Over Water? Read This!
• While Lighthouse Tracking makes it possible to capture great shots over water:
• AQUA is waterproof (unlike X1 PRO/PROMAX)
• Lighthouse is IPX7 waterproof and floats if dropped in water
• Why Lighthouse instead of just GPS? Water splashes and waves can block the camera's view — Lighthouse uses satellite data instead, keeping AQUA locked on your position even when visual tracking fails.
• Pro Tips for Water:
• Wear Lighthouse on your upper arm, antenna pointing up
• Lighthouse will vibrate to alert you if tracking status changes — no need to look at your phone
• After saltwater use, rinse AQUA with fresh water for a few minutes

🔍 Uh-Oh, What Now? If You Can’t Find Your Device

1. Use Your Finding Tools Immediately!
   • Listen for “Find My HOVER”: If Hover ends its flight unexpectedly, a voice prompt will play 5 seconds after landing.
   • Check the Map: Use the “Locate my Hover” feature in the app or “Find HOVER” on the Beacon to see the last known location.
   • Note: The location on the map is an estimate and might be a few meters off, especially in areas with lots of trees.
2. Search Smart:
   • In a Forest or Park: If you’re still connected, use the map. If not, retrace your flight path and listen for the sound.
   • Over Water or a Cliff: Mark your position and note where you last saw it. Safety first!
3. Contact Our Support Team (support@hoverair.com):
   If you’ve looked and still can’t find it, we’re here to help. To get the fastest assistance, please provide the following information:
   a. Your device’s Serial Number (S/N)
   b. Where you were flying
   c. If you were using the Beacon/App
   d. Device/Beacon Log
    

How to Find the Serial Number

• Aircraft: Remove the battery and check the SN below the QR code.

• App: Connect the aircraft → Profile → My Hover → Connected Device.

How to Upload Logs

• Connect the aircraft to the HOVERAir App.
• Go to Profile → Support & Feedback → Upload Logs.
• Select All Flight Records.
• Choose the issue category and occurrence time.
• Upload any related photos/videos and describe the issue.

• Tap Submit and send the generated Log ID to Customer Support.

  Please refer to the tutorial below for detailed instructions on obtaining the required information.

1. You can find a simple tutorial on how to obtain the necessary information here.

• Why it’s important: Log files are like the black box of your device. They give us a detailed history of what happened leading up to the issue.
• How to provide it: Make sure to upload both the aircraft log and the App/RC log. These logs should be from the exact time of the incident. If you’re unsure how to do this, check out our Log Upload Guide.
• A. Tutorial for uploading the Beacon Log
   
• B. Tutorial for uploading the Device Log

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🎯 The Bottom Line

• X1 Smart & X1: Use “Locate My HOVER” and stick to simple, textured environments.
• X1 PRO/PROMAX: OmniTerrain is your best friend outdoors. Maintain a 1.5m safety distance over water.
• Everyone: A quick pre-flight check makes all the difference.