Insta360 will be unveiling its first drone next month as part of an entirely new brand, Antigravity, which has been 'incubated by Insta360 in collaboration with third parties'.
Insta360 is not being shy about its new brand, Antigravity, saying that it will introduce a new product category altogether: 360 drones built around immersive flight. The launch video is fun, slick, presumably includes some footage shot on the new drone/s, and tells us precisely nothing.
So, what do we know? Precious little. It looks like we will be getting an 8k resolution drone capable of 360-degree capture in the all-important sub-246g category to avoid any licensing issues. The company also promises intuitive operation and streamlined controls that mean users can launch and record within seconds. "No steep learning curve, no technical background required," it promises.
"With its dual-lens capture, users can fly without worrying about framing the perfect shot. Everything is recorded in full, allowing creators to focus on the moment and shape their story afterward."
Immersive? Presumably that means a headset, but that would be bumping the price up. It will be interesting to find out who the third parties involved in Antigravity's development so far have been too.
Equally interestingly, the company says that Antigravity is also leaning into a community-driven product development model through what it's termed the Antigravity Hub. Users are invited to contribute feedback and ideas, which may shape future features or products. Contributions that inspire new innovations will then be rewarded, though there are no specifics regarding the mechanics of this.
The new drone also features 'smart safety functions', including payload detection to prevent unauthorized modifications or unsafe flight behavior. This should help protect it from litigation as well as ease the worries of newbie drone owners worried about seeing their investment disappear into the wild blue yonder.
It's interesting timing to say the least and definitely a bit of a spoiler operation. Drone leader DJI has been widely teasing the launch of something that looks suspiciously like a 360-degree camera on Thursday 31, and now Insta360 is kicking the ball back over the fence with interest. That said, DJI has a massive 70% of the global drone market and has proved remarkably difficult to budge from its market leading position. Could 360-degree video be the gimmick a new entrant in the market needs to succeed? We'll have a better idea in August, which isn't very far away...