BYD's 4K Roof-Mounted Drone Captures Aerial Footage on the Go
Published: March 6th, 2025.
If you’ve ever wished your daily drive felt a little more like an action movie, BYD has you covered. The Chinese automaker introduced the Ling Yuan drone system, a roof-mounted 4K drone that takes off mid-drive, follows your car, and films your journey in cinematic detail. This isn’t just a toy—a high-tech, AI-powered flying camera that transforms your road trips into something straight out of Top Gear.
And the best part? It won’t cost you a Hollywood budget. For ¥16,000 ($2,200), you get the drone, a futuristic docking station, and a fully automated aerial filming system.
We’ve seen cars with built-in dash cams, but BYD is taking things to a new altitude. The Ling Yuan system, developed with drone giant DJI, is a self-launching aerial camera that lifts off while your car still moves—as long as you’re going under 16 mph (25 km/h). Once in the air, the drone can keep up at 34 mph (54 km/h), capturing stunning aerial footage of your ride from the perfect angle.
The roof-mounted hangar is designed to be sleek and aerodynamic, so it won’t ruin the car’s look. At just 8.5 inches (215 mm) tall, it blends seamlessly into the vehicle’s design, only popping up when it’s time for takeoff.
Whether you’re winding through mountain roads, cruising along a beachside highway, or just trying to one-up your friends' vacation footage, this drone ensures your drive looks as epic as possible.
Once the drone captures your footage, it returns to its dock and starts charging automatically. In just 30 minutes, it can go from 20% to 80% battery, meaning you won’t have to wait long before launching it again.
But BYD didn’t just stop at hardware. The Ling Yuan system includes AI-powered editing tools that automatically organize and enhance your footage. No need to spend hours trimming and adjusting clips—your best shots will be ready to go with minimal effort.
The drone is controlled through BYD’s infotainment display or the Ling Yuan smartphone app, allowing you to adjust angles, set tracking modes, and preview shots before sharing them online.
The first vehicle to officially offer the Ling Yuan system is the Fang Cheng Bao Bao 8, but BYD plans to roll this feature out across multiple models, including the Bao 5, Titanium 3, Denza N9, Tang L, and Sealion 07 DM-i.
So far, there’s no confirmation on whether the drone system will be available outside of China, but considering the global interest in drones and high-tech car features, it wouldn’t be surprising if BYD eventually expands it to international markets.
Until then, if you want to film your road trips like a Fast & Furious movie, you might just have to book a flight to China.