Insta360 strikes back – surprise 'antigravity' drone leak shows it’s planning to take on DJI in the skies

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Two ‘Project Antigravity’ quadcopters have been snapped in the wild

A DJI drone carrying the Insta360 Sphere accessory
The Insta360 Sphere camera, released in 2022 as an accessory for DJI drones, could offer some clues as to Insta360's first actual camera drone. (Image credit: Insta360)
  • Two disguised drone models spotted in leaked images
  • Previously released Insta360 Sphere may give clues as to capabilities
  • DJI is the current drone market leader

Watch out, DJI – there appears to be a surprise new drone competitor waiting in the wings. At least that’s what a new set of leaked Insta360 images suggests.

The images, posted on X (formerly Twitter) by serial tech leaker Igor Bogdanov, show two disguised drones apparently made by Insta360. One appears to be an ultra-lightweight DJI Neo-style model with built-in propeller guards, while the other is slightly larger with fold-out propeller arms, similar in shape to the DJI Mini or Air ranges.

Both models are wrapped to hide their designs, but the wrapping on the larger model clearly says ‘Antigravity’. Is this the name of Insta360’s drone range, or just a codename for the in-development drones? We’ll have to wait a while to find out.

We’ll also have to wait and see what features and specifications the two Insta360 drones might offer. The smaller of the two offers no visible clues whatsoever in its shape or design, but the larger, folding model appears to have an upward-facing fisheye lens on top. We assume there's a similar lens arrangement, facing downwards, on the bottom.

Sphere of destiny?

An illustration of a DJI drone carrying the Insta360 Sphere camera

The DJI Sphere camera could be mounted on a DJI drone – but we expect Insta360's own drone to come with its capabilities built right in. (Image credit: Insta360)

This instantly reminded us of the Insta360 Sphere, the almost-forgotten, 2022-released drone camera designed to be mounted on the DJI Air 2S or DJI Mavic Air 2.

Featuring both up- and downward-facing ultra-wide cameras, the Sphere worked in much the same way as Insta360’s action cameras like the X5: recording two separate videos, it would seamlessly join them (and remove all visible trace of the drone) into a single 360-degree video that could be edited and reframed later.

Bringing class-leading 360 video creation to the skies might be a sure-fire way for Insta360 to set itself apart from DJI in the drone market. Then again, DJI is also rumored to be launching its first 360 camera soon.

Despite its thorny relationship with the US government, DJI is currently head and shoulders above its drone competitors, offering the biggest and best drones for consumers. For Insta360 to grab a share of this pie, the company might have to release something slightly different – and these new drones just might represent a shift from what we’ve seen so far.

What would you hope to see from Insta360’s first camera drones? Let us know in the comments below.

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Sam Kieldsen
Sam Kieldsen

Sam has been writing about tech and digital culture for over 20 years, starting off in video games journalism before branching out into the wonderful worlds of consumer electronics, streaming entertainment and photography. Over the years he has written for Wired, Stuff, GQ, T3, Trusted Reviews and PC Zone, and now lives on the Kent coast in the UK – the ideal place for a camera reviewer to ply their trade.

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