The battle between leading action imaging giants Insta360 and DJI has entered a new phase, with panoramic drones emerging as the latest battlefield. What began as a strategic cross-entry into each other’s core markets has escalated into a full-fledged competition spanning products, supply chains, and distribution channels.
Market Landscape & Strategic Shifts
For over a decade, DJI has dominated the global consumer drone market with a consistent 70%+ market share, achieving over 80 billion yuan in revenue and a nearly 40% net profit margin in 2024. Insta360, a leader in panoramic and action cameras, secured 67% of the global panoramic camera market in 2024, with 5.57 billion yuan in revenue and 990 million yuan in net profit, followed by 6.611 billion yuan in revenue for the first three quarters of 2025.
Prior to 2023, the action imaging market operated with clear divisions: DJI led drones, GoPro held onto action cameras, and Insta360 expanded rapidly in panoramic cameras (controlling 81.7% of the market by late 2024 per Frost & Sullivan). This balance shifted in July 2024 when DJI launched its first 8K panoramic camera, Osmo360, directly challenging Insta360’s core territory. By Q3 2024, Insta360’s market share dropped to 49%, while DJI captured 43%, according to data from research firm JQ Consulting.
Insta360’s countermove came in early December 2024 with the launch of its first panoramic drone, Antigravity A1, under the new sub-brand Yinglei. Priced starting at 7,999 yuan (pre-national subsidy), the 8K panoramic drone marked Insta360’s entry into DJI’s dominant drone sector. DJI is not far behind—its panoramic drone Avata360 is in pre-launch preparations, with packaging and design details leaked, expected to debut between late 2024 and early 2025.
Product Clashes & User Feedback
The Antigravity A1 introduces unique features, including VR motion sensing control and 360-degree panoramic imaging that eliminates the need for side or backward flight. Early users note a learning curve for those accustomed to DJI’s traditional remote control systems, though first-time drone users find it more accessible. Key user feedback highlights the absence of an optional remote control and image transmission quality issues, which Insta360 attributes to panoramic imaging mechanics, noting final output quality depends on post-editing.
Insta360 reported over 30 million yuan in sales within 48 hours of the A1’s Chinese launch, translating to approximately 4,000-5,000 units sold. The 7,999-yuan starting price, however, exceeds mainstream first-person view drones like DJI’s Avata2 (starting at over 4,000 yuan). Industry observers note the A1’s pricing reflects its hardware configuration, including dual 180-degree cameras, VR goggles, and a handheld controller, though some users criticize its plastic exterior for a flagship product.
DJI’s Avata360 is expected to adopt a different technical approach, featuring a 360-degree camera on a rotating gimbal. Market predictions place its price between 7,800-9,200 yuan (1,099-1,299 US dollars), with potential for aggressive pricing given DJI’s history of competitive pricing against Insta360.
Supply Chain & Channel Tensions
Behind the product rivalry lies intense competition in supply chains and distribution. In a company-wide letter, Insta360 CEO Liu Jingkang revealed that 28 key suppliers—covering optical lenses, structural components, screens, batteries, and chips—faced “exclusivity pressure” from competitors. A major supplier with over 20% of its revenue from DJI reportedly risked a 500 million yuan annual revenue drop if it continued partnering with Insta360.
Distribution channel conflicts have also surfaced. In November 2024, an Insta360 flagship store in Changsha’s Hunan Photography City was forced to remove its signage due to an exclusivity clause in a rental agreement by a DJI distributor, which explicitly banned “major competitor brand Insta360” from opening stores in the mall. Local market regulators held meetings with all parties, ruling that exclusive agreements harming third-party interests are invalid and allowing the sign to be restored, though provincial authorities later declined to file a formal case.
Industry Outlook
The global consumer drone electronics market is slowing, with 2024 revenue reaching 4.27 billion US dollars (a 7% year-on-year increase) and a projected 3.4% compound annual growth rate over the next five years, down from double-digit growth previously. China’s market growth has moderated from over 40% around 2020 to 15-20% in 2024.
Panoramic drones, as a new product category, have become a critical growth driver. DJI’s vast user base and supply chain control provide significant advantages, while Insta360’s technological innovation and first-mover advantage in panoramic drones have opened up incremental market opportunities. Industry insiders note that competition between the two giants is accelerating product innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers.
As Insta360’s Antigravity A1 enters the market and according to the latest news, DJI’s Avata360 awaits launch, the second half of the panoramic drone showdown between these two action imaging leaders is officially underway.
