I Tried This Tiny 360° Camera Drone, And It Could Be A Game-changer For Creators

4 weeks ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

Action cam shaper Insta360 has launched a caller sub-brand called Antigravity, focusing wholly connected drones.
Its first model, nan Antigravity A1, is unsocial successful that it tin grounds 360-degree video astatine up to 8K resolution.
Launch day is slated for January 2026, but nonstop pricing is still unknown.

Insta360 conscionable announced its venturing into a caller frontier: drones. Its caller sub-brand Antigravity will attraction wholly connected camera-equipped drones, and today, it revealed its first product: nan Antigravity A1, nan world's first 360 drone that tin grounds 360-degree videos astatine 8K resolution.

Also: Why I urge this 8K pouch camera complete accepted shooters - particularly astatine this price

I precocious had a chance to alert nan pre-production model, and it was a batch of fun. I was amazed astatine really easy it was to alert and sprout -- you tin conscionable ore connected directing nan drone since it records everything astir it astatine once, making it intolerable to screw up a shot. Here's a breakdown of nan news.

Behind nan design

The Antigravity A1 is simply a mini drone, weighing astir 249 grams. This intends it's mini capable to wherever you won't request to get a formation licence aliases registry nan drone pinch nan Federal Aviation Administration to alert it. You tin conscionable return it out and instantly person nosy pinch it.

Although I don't person nonstop dimensions, I did get a chance to clasp a pre-production model, and tin corroborate that it's mini capable to transportation pinch 1 hand. Those turbines you spot successful nan photograph beneath tin beryllium folded for easier storage.

See nan world successful 360

The drone has 4 cameras successful total: 2 facing forward, 1 connected top, and 1 connected nan bottom. A unrecorded provender is sent from nan instrumentality to nan micro-OLED displays wrong Antigravity's Vision goggles. You don't spot nan afloat 360-degree position each astatine once; you only spot a portion. To spot nan full feed, you'll person to physically move your head. Antigravity states that done "FreeMotion exertion and responsive caput tracking," you'll beryllium capable to look "freely successful immoderate direction".

Also: I tried DJI's first 360-degree camera, and its signaling capabilities blows retired nan competition

No matter wherever you look: up, down, left, right, front, back, upside down -- each you'll spot is high-resolution video. There aren't immoderate unsighted spots, and nary portion of nan drone blocks nan view. Insta360 told maine that Antigravity utilizes "advanced image stitching" package to make nan drone invisible to nan camera.

Intuitive controls

Instead of nan accepted double-handed controller pinch 2 analog sticks, nan A1 drone is operated via Antigravity's Grip controller, which is held successful 1 hand. To make nan instrumentality move, you property down connected nan rear trigger to move forward. To alteration direction, you'll person to slope nan controller to nan side. Doing truthful moves nan achromatic circle connected nan headset's screen, which is what nan drone follows.

Also: I fell successful emotion pinch a $2,000 mirrorless camera that puts creation and simplicity complete everything else

If nan mobility controls are excessively confusing, users person nan action of utilizing nan scroll wheel. Above nan instrumentality is nan artillery indicator, letting you cognize really overmuch juice nan drone has astatine immoderate fixed moment. That large fastener does a mates of things depending connected really you property it. A short property activates nan emergency stop, while a agelong property initiates a "Return to home" function.

Antigravity states nan A1 drone will motorboat sometime successful January 2026, pinch much information, specified arsenic pricing, bundles, and location readiness coming person to launch.

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