Insta360 Steps Into the Drone Arena With the Antigravity A1
DJI has long dominated the drone market, but Insta360 is now making a bold move into the space with its new Antigravity A1. The company, best known for its 360-degree action cameras, is branching out with a drone that promises a fresh approach to aerial filming.
The Antigravity A1 is not just another drone. It’s a lightweight, sub-250-gram device that avoids strict licensing requirements in many regions. But what makes it stand out is its dual-camera setup, positioned on the top and bottom of the drone, capturing 360-degree footage in 8K resolution. This means the drone itself disappears from the frame, much like Insta360’s invisible selfie stick effect.
Flying the A1 is a unique experience. Unlike traditional first-person-view (FPV) drones, where your view is locked to the drone’s direction, the A1 streams a full 360-degree feed to OLED goggles. This allows pilots to look around freely while flying, creating a more immersive and intuitive control experience.
The drone is paired with a motion controller that blends elements of a traditional drone remote and a Wiimote. Steering involves pointing where you want to go and pressing a trigger, a method Antigravity calls Freemotion control. This makes navigation surprisingly easy, even for beginners.
One clever addition is the external screen on the goggles, letting bystanders see what the pilot sees—a small but thoughtful feature that makes drone flying more engaging for spectators.
In testing, the A1 proved agile and responsive, with smooth footage that holds up well in post-production. Insta360’s editing tools, already refined for its action cameras, allow users to reframe and crop footage after recording, extracting multiple angles from a single clip.
The company is still fine-tuning details, including payload detection to prevent unauthorized modifications. Insta360 is also inviting early testers to help shape the final product through a co-creation program, with a $20,000 prize pool for the best feedback.
Pricing remains unknown, but if Insta360 can keep costs competitive, the Antigravity A1 could carve out a niche in a market dominated by DJI. For now, it’s a promising step into drones from a company known for pushing creative boundaries.