Insta360 Sphere

Insta360 has just announced their new Insta360 Sphere “Invisible Drone Camera”.  I have always believed that drones and 360 degree cameras are a natural fit. In fact, I have many times contemplated attaching my Fusion 360 to my drone because of the potential of the kinds of shots I could get, but it never seemed practical. In order to keep the drone from blocking too much of the view, I’d have to suspend it from a pole, which would certainly effect flight performance, and likely stability, and would create it’s own challenges trying to launch and land the drone.  But this… this is what I believed was really what was needed, a 360 degree camera with one lens on top of the drone, and one below, and a stitch that hid the props. 

And it looks like Insta360 has done exactly that. The sphere is compatible with DJI’s Air2 and Air2s drones, and comes in at around $430. It also includes lens guards to protect your lenses, which is tricky with 360 degree lenses since traditional lens protection devices tend to get in the shot with 360 degree cameras.

I’m looking forward to the kinds of content we see coming from this camera.

Below is their press release.

Insta360 Sphere Brings the Magic of 360 Filming to Drones

3 min read

Insta360 Sphere, the invisible drone 360 cam, is the ultimate solution to turn a DJI Mavic Air 2/2S drone into an all-powerful content production tool.

With the camera attached, the drone becomes totally invisible in 360-degree footage, while the lightweight structure and intuitive operation make 360 aerial filming easier than ever before.

Insta360 Sphere offers immersive footage, without the need to buy a new drone or have professional flying or editing skills. Powered by Insta360’s industry-leading software, Sphere unlocks endless ways to create killer content from drone footage. Insta360 Sphere is available to order today via Insta360.com in the U.S. and Mainland China.

Immersive footage without the learning curve.

From awe-inspiring landscapes to urban vistas, drone pilots have been capturing stunning aerial footage for years now. But, the key limitation of wide-angle cameras is that they can only capture in one direction. A user’s ability to get the best footage is dependent upon their flying abilities and the maneuvers they are capable of pulling off in real-time.

That’s no longer the case with Insta360 Sphere. By filming in 5.7K 360, users can adjust the angle and camera direction in their video after the fact. Using the easy reframing tools in the Insta360 app and Studio desktop, anyone can add thrilling rolls and turns to their aerial footage in post, achieving FPV-like footage on an easy-to-handle drone

Shooting with a 360 camera also opens up the option of getting multiple edits from the same flight, in addition to the wide angle footage from the drone itself.

A truly invisible drone. 

Many drone users are accustomed to mounting a 360 camera above or below their drone to get 360-degree footage. But since 360 cameras film in all directions, this means that half of the video is often obstructed by the drone itself, requiring tedious post-processing or paid video editing software to remove it. 

With Insta360 Sphere, the camera’s lenses are precisely mounted on either side of the drone to ensure the drone is invisible in the resulting footage. Insta360’s proprietary dynamic stitching algorithm makes the whole drone (including the propellers) disappear automatically, leaving the user with glorious, uninterrupted shots. 

Comparing the uninterrupted view from Insta360 Sphere footage versus a standard setup with a 360 camera mounted on a drone.

Smooth flight, smoother shots. 

Killer image stabilization is crucial to getting immersive aerial footage. Insta360’s proprietary FlowState Stabilization technology has been fine-tuned for Insta360 Sphere to ensure super steady aerial footage, no matter the conditions.

Comparing footage with and without FlowState Stabilization shot on Insta360 Sphere.

Perfectly compatible. 

The camera is compatible with the Mavic Air 2/2S and attaches to the drone with an ultra-secure locking mechanism. There is zero impact on the drone’s structural integrity, and it doesn’t impede the GPS signal or remote control system. 

Powerful AI editing suite. 

Sphere represents a continuation of Insta360’s mission to help people capture and share their lives better, making Insta360’s industry-leading 360 reframing and editing software accessible to a wider range of creators. Sphere users can edit their videos using the same AI-powered features as the Insta360 ONE Series in the Insta360 app. Creative effects like barrel rolls and dolly zooms are as easy as a tap.

Become a 360 pilot today!

Insta360 Sphere is available in the U.S. and Mainland China at store.insta360.com and retails for $429.99.

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