ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Action cam manufacturer Insta360 has launched a new sub-brand called Antigravity, focusing entirely on drones.
- Its first model, the Antigravity A1, is unique in that it can record 360-degree video at up to 8K resolution.
- Launch date is slated for January 2026, but exact pricing is still unknown.
Insta360 just announced its venturing into a new frontier: drones. Its new sub-brand Antigravity will focus entirely on camera-equipped drones, and today, it revealed its first product: the Antigravity A1, the world’s first 360 drone that can record 360-degree videos at 8K resolution.
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I recently had a chance to fly the pre-production model, and it was a lot of fun. I was surprised at how easy it was to fly and shoot — you can just concentrate on directing the drone since it records everything around it at once, making it impossible to screw up a shot. Here’s a breakdown of the news.
Behind the design
The Antigravity A1 is a small drone, weighing about 249 grams. This means it’s small enough to where you won’t need to obtain a flight license or register the drone with the Federal Aviation Administration to fly it. You can just take it out and instantly have fun with it.
Although I don’t have exact dimensions, I did get a chance to hold a pre-production model, and can confirm that it’s small enough to carry with one hand. Those turbines you see in the photo below can be folded for easier storage.
See the world in 360
The drone has four cameras in total: two facing forward, one on top, and one on the bottom. A live feed is sent from the device to the micro-OLED displays inside Antigravity’s Vision goggles. You don’t see the full 360-degree view all at once; you only see a portion. To see the entire feed, you’ll have to physically turn your head. Antigravity states that through “FreeMotion technology and responsive head tracking,” you’ll be able to look “freely in any direction”.
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No matter where you look: up, down, left, right, front, back, upside down – all you’ll see is high-resolution video. There aren’t any blind spots, and no part of the drone blocks the view. Insta360 told me that Antigravity utilizes “advanced image stitching” software to make the drone invisible to the camera.
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Intuitive controls
Instead of the traditional double-handed controller with two analog sticks, the A1 drone is operated via Antigravity’s Grip controller, which is held in one hand. To make the device move, you press down on the rear trigger to move forward. To change direction, you’ll have to bank the controller to the side. Doing so moves the white circle on the headset’s screen, which is what the drone follows.
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If the motion controls are too confusing, users have the option of using the scroll wheel. Above the wheel is the battery indicator, letting you know how much juice the drone has at any given moment. That big button does a couple of things depending on how you press it. A short press activates the emergency stop, while a long press initiates a “Return to home” function.
Antigravity states the A1 drone will launch sometime in January 2026, with more information, such as pricing, bundles, and regional availability coming closer to launch.
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