The Ring Rover Cam is targeted at businesses that want to increase security without installing permanent cameras.The Ring Rover Cam is targeted at businesses that want to increase security without installing permanent cameras.Nov 10, 2026, 1:30 PM UTCPhoto: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The VergeAs part of a new brand called Ring Robotics — designed to take a more proactive approach to security instead of just monitoring — a new rolling mobile security camera was announced by Amazon, called the Ring Rover Cam. It borrows a lot of the design and functionality from the Astro home robot that Amazon first debuted in 2021. The Rover Cam is targeted at businesses in need of an affordable security solution that can patrol and investigate concerns in large facilities, and it comes with a few upgrades.As with Astro, the Rover Cam rolls around on a pair of large wheels that help it navigate small obstacles or uneven terrain. It can be manually dispatched to a specific room or any point along a pre-programmed patrol route to investigate a disturbance, and it will also automatically head to a location where an alarm on another Ring device is triggered. While en route, it continuously streams and records video, and when it reaches its destination, the robot performs a 360-degree scan so you can investigate what’s wrong from afar.The Rover Cam relies more heavily on its telescoping periscope camera than Astro did.Photo: Victoria Barrios / The VergeAstro’s extending periscope camera has been carried forward to the Rover Cam and upgraded. It now features 4K resolution, and you can set the camera to raise and lower to specific heights while programming a scheduled patrol route so the robot can see over counters, shelving, or other raised obstacles. Astro’s cupholder has been replaced with a permanent stubby tower featuring a built-in siren and a flashing red light that both function as deterrents. To make the Rover Cam easier to locate in large spaces like a warehouse, that tower also projects a blue ring of light onto ceilings directly above the robot.The Rover Cam’s screen is used to provide status messages, including letting others know when it’s recording video.Photo: Victoria Barrios / The VergeThere’s no access to Alexa through the Rover Cam, which makes its included screen feel unnecessary. Instead of displaying a cute pair of eyes to encourage engagement, the Rover Cam’s screen is used to display status messages, including when it’s actively recording. It still has a microphone and speakers, but now they’re used for two-way talk functionality. Battery life is estimated to be about 30 minutes, allowing the robot to cover facilities around 5,000 square feet, but it’s limited to a single floor. For multiple levels, multiple robots would be needed, or the Rover Cam can be paired with Amazon’s new flying Ring Drone Cam.This isn’t the first time that Amazon has attempted to repurpose Astro as a security robot. In 2023, it launched the $2,349.99 Astro for Business but discontinued it just a year later. The Ring Rover Cam is now available for preorder for $999.99 and is expected to ship starting on December 16th.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew LiszewskiThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Amazon turned its Alexa robot into a Ring security patrol bot
