I have never seen a drone accessory as cool as this one — and it’s the one thing DJI is missing

A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If you're familiar with the ever-expanding world of aerial photography and camera drones, you'll be familiar with DJI.

It's the undisputed king of drones, producing high-quality ones catering to all budgets. The DJI Air 3S remains my favorite — I don't go anywhere without it. But I recently tested two drones that made me wish DJI had this one accessory.

I'm talking about the HoverAir X1 Pro and X1 ProMax. These are selfie drones, like the DJI Neo, so they can't exactly take to dizzying heights like others can. They're meant to be flown in close proximity.

But that doesn't mean you can't fly them at high altitudes — as long as you have the HoverAir Beacon and JoyStick.

HoverAir Beacon and JoyStick bundle
HoverAir Beacon and JoyStick bundle: $258 at Amazon

The Beacon is a rectangular device that helps improve the X1 Pro and X1 ProMax’s subject tracking. The JoyStick modules can be attached either individually or together to the Beacon to give you the feel of a traditional controller, and in conjunction, they work extremely well.

The Beacon and JoyStick are very interesting accessories, and unlike anything I've seen from DJI, Potensic, Extreme Fliers, and others.

They're extremely versatile and easy to use, and they take your flying experience to the next level. How, you ask? Let me show you...

One, two, three

When I first took the HoverAir Beacon and JoyStick out of their boxes, I was confused yet intrigued. I'm more accustomed to whipping out the DJI RC-2 or RC-N3 controllers and taking to the skies instantly. How do you use these? How do you set them up?

When I first took the HoverAir Beacon and JoyStick out of their boxes, I was confused yet intrigued. How do you use these? How do you set them up? These were questions I asked myself.

These were questions I asked myself — but it was fairly easy and quick to get started with them. A flick through the manual and a few minutes of Googling led me to understanding what these were for.

The Beacon is a rectangular device with a small 1.78-inch OLED touchscreen that serves as — you guessed it — a beacon to improve the X1 Pro and X1 ProMax’s subject tracking.

HoverAir X1 ProMax — Audio testing - YouTube HoverAir X1 ProMax — Audio testing - YouTube
Watch On

You can also clip it onto your bike’s handlebar and the drones will accurately follow you. You can quickly swap between flight modes while cycling, negating the need to grab the drones to change the settings via their buttons.

Or you can use them while skiing.

Oh, and the Beacon doubles as a microphone too which records clear audio while (sort of) suppressing the drone's sounds, as you can see above.

The Beacon and JoyStick's prowess lies in their versatility when they're used together.

Clipping the Beacon onto the right JoyStick allows you to fly the drones with one hand. If you want a two-handed controller, simply clip on the left JoyStick and pop in the control sticks included in the box.

A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

All that's left to do is insert your smartphone, without its case, into the holder and connect it via the included USB-C or lightning cable. Neat, right?

Using the Beacon bumps up the transmission range to 0.62 miles (1km) as opposed to 500m when flying hands-free.

This or that?

A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Using the Beacon and JoyStick makes flying the HoverAir X1 Pro and X1 ProMax much easier. The joysticks are highly responsive and comfortable to use for long periods of time, and I really like that you can use either one or both hands.

The drones themselves are straightforward to use and boast fantastic video specs, like 8K and 4K video, electronic image stabilization and more, which you can find out all about in my full review (and marvel at some of the intelligent flight modes).

So if I had to pick one, would I choose the DJI RC-2 touchscreen controller, the DJI RC-N3 smartphone mount controller, or the HoverAir Beacon and JoyStick? That question doesn't have a straightforward answer.

I love using the RC-2 to fly my DJI Air 3S because the touchscreen is very bright and detailed, and the RC-N3 for the DJI Neo gives you lots of control over a tiny drone. But I've also loved testing the Beacon and JoyStick because of their versatile capabilities.

A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

It also isn't a case of, "One is better than the others." All three serve different purposes to control different types of drones.

It also isn't a case of, "One is better than the others." All three serve different purposes to control different types of drones. But if there is one thing I do know is that I wish such an accessory was available for all other drones too.

Being able to clip a controller to your bike or your jacket while you ski can be a game-changer as you can change settings on the fly — while being mindful of your safety and surroundings, of course.

If you buy an X1 Pro or X1 ProMax, you wouldn't want to miss out on the Beacon and JoyStick — they're revolutionary accessories.

More from Tom's Guide

Nikita Achanta
Staff Writer, Reviews

Nikita is a Staff Writer on the Reviews team at Tom's Guide. She's a lifelong gaming and photography enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tech. Having worked as a Sub Editor and Writer for Canon EMEA, she has interviewed photographers from all over the world and working in different genres. When she’s not working, Nikita can usually be found sinking hours into RPGs on her PS5, flying a drone (she's a licensed drone pilot), at a concert, or watching F1. Her work has appeared in several publications including Motor Sport Magazine, NME, Marriott Bonvoy, The Independent, and Metro.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone
I tested this 8K drone for a month — and it might be the ultimate DJI alternative
A person wearing the DJI Goggles N3 FPV headset in a dary gray colorway and holding a DJI RC Motion 3 controller
I tested the DJI Goggles N3 for a month — and I don’t want to fly a drone without an FPV headset ever again
A gray DJI Flip drone with propeller guards
I just tested the new DJI Flip and it might be the best drone for newbies — here’s why
DJI Goggles N3 FPV headset in a dary gray colorway
DJI Goggles N3 review: Immersive flying at its finest
A gray DJI Flip drone with propeller guards
DJI Flip review: This IS the drone you’re looking for
best drones
Best drones in 2025
Latest in Drones
A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone
I have never seen a drone accessory as cool as this one — and it’s the one thing DJI is missing
A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone
I tested this 8K drone for a month — and it might be the ultimate DJI alternative
A person wearing the DJI Goggles N3 FPV headset in a dary gray colorway and holding a DJI RC Motion 3 controller
I tested the DJI Goggles N3 for a month — and I don’t want to fly a drone without an FPV headset ever again
DJI Goggles N3 FPV headset in a dary gray colorway
DJI Goggles N3 review: Immersive flying at its finest
DJI Mavic Air
DJI will stop restricting its drones from flying over sensitive areas like the White House and wildfires
A gray DJI Flip drone with propeller guards
I just tested the new DJI Flip and it might be the best drone for newbies — here’s why
Latest in Features
LG G4 OLED in living room
This is the one setting on your HDR TV most people don't know about — here's how to tweak it
Chelsea Manning speaking at the NymVPN launch event
Chelsea Manning-backed NymVPN launches in bid to win the "censorship arms race"
A man and a woman wearing grey clothes looking at a white mattress in a store
Buying your first mattress? Here's 9 things you need to know
A comparison photo showing a Helix mattress directly next to a Helix mattress topper
You need a new mattress but don't have the budget — is a new topper worth buying this World Sleep Day instead?
A HoverAir X1 Pro and HoverAir X1 ProMax drone
I have never seen a drone accessory as cool as this one — and it’s the one thing DJI is missing
The iPhone 16 Pro Max (L) and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra rear cameras
I took 200 macro photos with Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. iPhone 16 Pro — here's the winner