LAS VEGAS—Shortly after getting into town for CES 2016 last Monday I found myself being driven out to a seemingly random spot in the remote Nevada desert. I've see Casino—I know that this scenario hadn't ended well for others. But my safety wasn't in danger—El Chapo wasn't waiting for a clandestine interview. Instead I was heading out of town to check out the AirDog, a drone that's designed to follow and film its owner.

Many of the drones I've flown have some sort of automated follow feature. But it's usually a secondary function. Consumer models like the DJI Phantom 3 Professional are piloted via remote control so you can fly where you want to fly, adjust the camera to your liking, and later edit together footage into an aerial landscape video, or incorporate it into a larger project.

AirDog doesn't include a remote control. Instead it ships with the waterproof AirLeash, a wristband that lets the drone know where you are. A monochrome LCD also displays the status of the drone, controls to navigate through menus, and a return-to-home button.

There's no integrated camera. Instead you can mount your own GoPro. That seems like a logical choice, as it's something that many outdoor sports enthusiasts already own. It's stabilized by a gimbal and mounted at the nose of the drone. The AirDog itself is bright purple and yellow. Its purple arms fold in for easier transport and storage. It can fly for 10 to 18 minutes, depending on wind conditions. It's designed to remain stable even in high winds, but if they are too strong, greater than 28 knots, the AirDog won't take off.

The AirDog flies differently based on your sport of choice. (You need to tell it what you're doing—it's smart, but not that smart.) It has settings for surfing, kick boarding, snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding, wake boarding, and mountain biking. It will stay upwind of you when used with a sport that involves lines between you and an an object, like wake boarding, and won't land in the water when you're surfing.

I got to see the AirDog in action as it followed a cyclist on a mountain trail. Its framing was off a bit at the very beginning of the ride, but it quickly corrected that and kept the bicycle in frame. I opted to set the GoPro to record at 2.7K resolution in order to maintain a 60fps capture rate, but if you don't mind the look of 30fps you can opt for 4K with certain models.

The top speed is 42mph, and the AirDog can maintain a connection with the AirLeash at distances of up to 820 feet. It can operate at high altitude, up to 11,500 feet above sea level, and can follow you at as little as a 16.5-feet altitude and a 13-foot distance. But for most sports AirDog recommends a slightly higher altitude (23 feet) and longer distance (16.5 feet).

Sensors in both the drone and the AirLeash help the drone follow you properly, even when moving downhill. The drone itself has downward-facing collision sensors to help avoid crashes, but it has no forward-facing collision detection mechanism.

If you're looking for a traditional drone that you can pilot yourself, look elsewhere. But if you're an adventure sports enthusiast and you want to capture some pro-grade aerial footage of your exploits, the AirDog is worth consideration. It's scheduled to ship in April and is priced at $1,599.