DJI officially launched the Avata 360 this March, expanding its camera drone lineup with the company's first 360-degree offering. The latest addition to DJI's popular Avata series, the Avata 360 is a direct rival to the Antigravity A1 360-degree drone released last December. Yet while Antigravity was first off the launch pad, it's still the new kid on the block. DJI has been a favourite of drone enthusiasts for years, with many having eagerly awaited the brand's first 360 drone.
Now that the DJI Avata 360 has finally arrived, the question is whether the wait was worth it.
DJI Avata 360: Build
At first glance, the Avata 360's build bears strong similarities to the DJI Avata 2 released in 2024. Both sport solid, lightweight bodies made from high-quality grey plastic, with few moving parts aside from their camera gimbals and four propellers. Guards around these propellers help to protect them from damage, adding another layer of security on top of the Avata 360's obstacle avoidance system. Measuring 246 millimetres x 199 millimetres x 55.5 millimetres, the Avata 360 is longer but slimmer than the Avata 2, with three anchor points attaching its propellers to its body instead of two.
The Avata 360 feels sturdier than the significantly smaller Antigravity A1 as well, with the latter featuring foldable arms and unshielded propeller blades. While the A1 isn't flimsy, the Avata 360 certainly seems more likely to hold up in a collision if the two were to go head-to-head. It even has a removable lens protector to shield it during storage.
However, this superior durability comes at a cost to the Avata 360's weight and classification. Unlike the Antigravity A1, DJI's 360-degree drone requires registration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly, as it weighs in at around 455 grams. Meanwhile, the A1 just squeaks in under the FAA's 250-gram limit — no doubt an intentional design choice to make life easier for budding drone pilots.
The Avata 360 is still lightweight enough that it isn't more burdensome to carry about than the portable A1. Each drone can be bundled with a padded sling bag, though the Avata 360's isn't quite large enough to comfortably fit both its folded landing pad and the optional DJI Goggles N3 (more on this below).
Even so, having to register the Avata 360 is a nuisance. Whether the hassle is worth it will depend on what you want out of your drone. Newcomers and hobbyists may not want to bother with such matters, while serious drone users are less likely to be put off by the extra step needed to fly the Avata 360.
DJI Avata 360: Image quality
The Avata 360's allure is clearly its 360-degree video capability, with a top resolution of 8K at 60fps (though reduced to 4K once reframed to 2D in the DJI Fly app). The drone also allows you to switch to a single-lens mode for more traditional filming, which reaches up to 4K at 60fps. For comparison, the Antigravity A1's highest 360-degree video resolution is 8K at 30fps — half the Avata 360's frame rate. DJI's higher frame rate is particularly attractive for producing smooth, beautiful slow motion footage, which is a notable strength for a camera drone shooting wide landscapes.
Both drones use two lenses and two sensors to achieve their 360-degree recordings. However, the Avata 360 has slightly larger 1/1.1-inch square CMOS sensors compared to the A1's 1/1.28, enabling greater dynamic range and low-light performance.
The Antigravity A1's video quality is already impressive enough for the average person, and certainly nothing to complain about. However, for professionals and prosumers who are looking to squeeze the most out of their footage, the DJI Avata 360 offers a welcome little upgrade.
As always, 360-degree video is a double-edged sword. It allows you to frame and edit after the fact, meaning you don't have to decide exactly what to focus on while filming. However, this also makes editing the footage more complex and time-consuming. The Avata 360 aims to streamline this process through the DJI Fly app, which enables you to trim, add keyframes, apply filters, and otherwise edit your footage.
DJI Fly also includes an in-app tracking feature, which will allow you to draw a box around a subject and have the frame automatically follow it. Though it did lose track of a bird when it flew directly above the Avata 360, Mashable found that the DJI Fly app's tracking largely does a good job of keeping the subject centred. It isn't exactly the eye of an auteur, but it gets the job done with minimal fuss, leaving you free to finesse other aspects of your footage.
DJI Avata 360: Controls and performance
While the Antigravity A1 can only be operated using its included headset and motion controller, the DJI Avata 360 offers two control options. Pilots can use either the DJI RC 2 remote controller, which features two joysticks and a screen that displays the drone's point of view, or connect the Avata 360 to the DJI Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller. Released a few years ago, both options can be purchased separately or in a bundle with the Avata 360. They are also compatible with previous DJI drones, offering added versatility for those interested in building a fleet.
Flying the DJI Avata 360 with the RC 2 controller is fairly straightforward. Touchscreen options allow you to automatically launch and land the drone, while buttons on either side enable quick recording. Two joysticks control the Avata 360's elevation, orientation, and flight direction, enabling a smooth flight.
Mashable was surprised to find that, though we found the Antigravity A1's motion controls the most intuitive for users without much experience with drones, we actually preferred the RC 2 controller to the DJI's motion controller and goggles. While headsets have the benefit of providing a clear, glare-free viewing experience, they can be a hassle to put on and take off. Importantly, they can also hinder visual line of sight, which is an FAA requirement when flying drones for recreation. The RC 2 is a quick grab and go option, can be used without a spotter, and at 700 nits the screen is bright enough that it's clearly visible even in direct sunlight.
It's also worth noting that the DJI Goggles N3 can't be adjusted for your glasses prescription, though fortunately it is large enough to fit over glasses. In contrast, Antigravity A1's headset has diopter adjustment supporting prescriptions ranging from +2.00 to -5.00, as well as interpupillary distance adjustment.
Both Antigravity and DJI's goggle designs are comfortable to wear. The A1 goggles' configuration is admittedly more fussy than DJI's, requiring you to hang the battery from your neck like a necklace and run a wire up to the headset. However, this setup does make the A1's headset delightfully light, and is easily forgotten during operation. DJI's more streamlined design doesn't look as dorky, mounting its battery on the strap at the back of the head to balance the weight of the front, but is heavier and more likely to slip.
At 42GB, the Avata 360 has more than double the A1's modest 20GB of onboard storage. Both also offer a microSD card slot if you want extra space — which, if you're shooting a significant amount of 360-degree video, you'll probably need.
DJI states that the Avata 360's swappable batteries handle approximately 23 minutes of flight per charge, though Mashable found this to be a generous estimate. Fortunately the drone will automatically return to its launch site to land if its power drops too low, but you'll likely want spare batteries on hand if you want longer flying time. We swiftly chewed through our spares during testing, ending flying sessions sooner than we'd have liked — though this is also a testament to how much fun it was to fly the Avata 360.
Interestingly, the DJI Avata 360 had some trouble sticking the landing during Mashable's testing. Though placed in the centre of its bright orange landing pad for take off, it repeatedly missed the mark when instructed to return home. Instead, the drone would gently lower itself a few feet from the target, landing in the grass near the landing pad. In contrast, the Antigravity A1's automatic landing returned it to its much smaller landing pad every time, even deploying adorable landing gear.
It isn't a reassuring indication regarding the precision of the Avata 360's navigation, and gives us pause about relying too heavily on its automatic anti-collision or homing features. Even so, the drone's off-centre landing isn't a fatal flaw, as you'll typically want some safe, clear space around your entire launch area regardless. You should be keeping your drone within visual line of sight as well, so you can intervene if it does choose an inappropriate landing spot.
DJI Avata 360: Pricing
Though the DJI Avata 360 began rolling out globally from April, it still isn't available on the company's official U.S. website. The U.S. government's hostile stance toward DJI has significantly hindered the company's business, making it difficult for those in the country to get their hands on many of its devices. As such, getting a DJI Avata 360 in the U.S. will require going through an unofficial third party at present.
This availability issue gives the Antigravity A1 a notable edge over the DJI Avata 360 for U.S. consumers. However, the considerable difference in cost does a lot to mitigate this apparent advantage.
Though there is no official U.S. pricing, in Australia the DJI Avata 360 costs $AU799 ($574) for the drone and one battery, and $AU1,159 ($833) for that plus the DJI RC 2. The $AU1,619 ($1,164) Fly More Combo also includes a sling bag, charging hub, and two more batteries, while the Motion Fly More Combo is the same but swaps out the RC 2 for the DJI Goggles N3 and RC Motion 3 controller. Meanwhile, the Antigravity A1's base bundle with headset, motion controller, and one battery costs $1,599 — several hundred dollars more than the Avata 360's most expensive bundle.
The A1 is still a great option particularly for new or casual drone pilots, and its lower weight means it's subject to fewer flight restrictions than the Avata 360. But if you're after a more affordable, heavier-duty 360-degree drone that's suited to prosumers and professionals, hunting down the DJI Avata 360 may be worth it for you.