The Antigravity A1 drone just launched. It's better value than you think – and this is why!

Some people will be looking at the new Antigravity A1, just launched, and think it's a difficult cost to justify, despite its 8K 360-degree camera system. At over $1000, it is more than some premium ultralight drones from the biggest name competitor DJI. If you find yourself thinking like that, I think you've misunderstood the possibilities of this disruptive new entrance to the market.

For one thing, this drone offers all of the possibilities of one of DJI‘s premium FPV drones (the 'Grip' controller has similarities to DJI's 'Motion' controller) and there are goggles. And the cost is in the same ballpark as a DJI Avata full bundle too.

"A1 takes the freedom of 360 capture and gives it wings" said Michael Shabun of Antigravity.

See my full review of the Antigravity A1 for the tech details.

But you get a much more exciting – and wholly unique possibility with the new Antigravity A1. Shooting videos just by piloting, then fully re-framing them (video) after the fact, from the comfort of home or office. In other words you can shoot videos with all of the professional advantages that a two-person operated drone, like DJI’s $15,000 Inspire (Three) afford in fact, in some respects, things are better since you can choose the angle of the shot later.

There is also a "Sky Path" system to allow operators to plan and fly complicated flights with the new Antigravity A1, then sit back – or allow friends to sit back in the goggles and turn their head to look anywhere as the drone executes the flight path.

If this doesn’t make any sense to you, it’s because you’ve never tried to a 360° camera. Admittedly, a drone might not be the obvious place to start but Antigravity‘s parent company Insta360 has had several years leading the 360° camera market for good reason. You can see the evidence in my guide to the best 360-degree cameras.

It also means Insta360 are keen to see Antigravity do well, and you can be confident that the technologies they’ve discovered both in terms of hardware and software (and both matter here) are involved. Insta360 Studio software is what I've been using to explore my footage after flights with success.

Personally, I was genuinely surprised that the company pursued such a mass market product as a first drone, or at least took the 250g weight limit.

You might argue that such a pro-grade function as this device offers didn't need to be this light. DJI, after all, had cheerfully passed the weight limit for their Avata FPV drones, knowing that serious FPV fliers will deal with a little more paperwork in order to have the best tech.

Perhaps, though, that is a classic sign of a market stagnating. Despite the fact that 360-degree cameras called for the addition of extra height – and, in fact, retracting landing gear in Antigravity's view – the company has still been able to come in beneath the 250g threshold that makes it easier for consumers to buy and fly.

Now I'm not crazy – I recognise that the Inspire offers a higher imaging resolution and sensor size, but for a lot of modern creativity a smaller team, budget, and the ability to control things in a unique way might be a much better way to stand out and break out for less.

Small world effects and the like are the kind of novelty that you can use in video stings in a world that is starting to already recognise a standard drone shot and we absolutely live in a world where anything that stands out can be a winner.