With DJI facing an impending import ban in the US and its top drones disappearing from shelves, the new Antigravity A1 didn’t need to be a revolutionary device to get attention. It just needed to be a reliable alternative that you could buy in the States. In August, the Chinese brand couldn’t promise that with certainty.
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But today, it's possible: the Antigravity A1 is now available for sale at Best Buy in the US, with shelves and shipping this week. It looks like Best Buy went ahead with the sale ahead of the full reveal on December 4th.
Insta360's Antigravity could change the way drones are made. And luckily, it's not just a DJI alternative: this $1,599 is like nothing we've ever seen before.
This 8K drone isn't about 'flying a drone' or 'taking aerial shots.' It's designed to take the guesswork out of flying or shooting video.
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The 360-degree camera and motion-sensing goggles let you simply turn your head to look in any direction. Inside, you’ll see a line that you can move with your hand to indicate where you want to go. Pull the trigger and the drone flies there, leaving your head free to enjoy the view from above. And because you’re recording video in every direction at once, you can rotate and zoom in on the recorded video when you’re done.
The Antigravity A1 weighs, flies, and folds like a DJI Mini, not like the higher-end Mavic or Air, even though its price is closer to that of high-end drones when they were widely available in the US.
But none of DJI’s professional drones have come with a 360-degree camera system and accompanying goggles that make easy flying and video capture a priority. But that could happen with DJI’s 360-degree drone, the Avata 360, which just received FCC approval last week. It might make it to the U.S. before the door closes on future DJI devices.
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The Avata 360 may be a different beast than the Antigravity A1, however. While the A1 is a beginner-friendly Mini drone that flies smoothly and is light enough to not require registration, DJI's Avata series is designed as heavier cinewhoop FPV drones for fast and impressive flights.
