The FPV drone scene have been putting 360 cameras on their rigs for a while and DJI has just launched the DJI Avata 360 globally on March 26, and US pre-orders go live today, March 30 at 8 AM ET.
Is this a DJI Drone with 360 Camera and That's IT?
Basically... but he headline feature is a dual 1-inch sensor camera system that captures full spherical 8K video at 60fps with HDR, plus 120-megapixel stills. It also has another option that could give you a more traditional drone experience - you can switch to a Single Lens mode for a standard forward-facing 4K/60fps FPV configuration.
So if you just want some standard footage or just want to shoot to the shot list - 4K single lens is perfect. If you are doing action or sports or wildlife shooting - that 8K 360 footage could be super useful.
DJI packed in their O4+ transmission system with up to 20km range and 1080p/60fps live feed. Flight time sits at around 23 minutes, and the 42GB of internal storage gives you roughly 30 minutes of 8K 360 footage without even needing a microSD card. Nice move.
Easier 360 Video Post Production
DJI has built out a solid set of reframing tools in DJI Fly and DJI Studio. Spotlight Free lets you lock onto a subject and automates camera movement. ActiveTrack 360 handles tracking across the full sphere of capture. There is an FPV mode that adds natural roll effects in post, and Virtual Gimbal gives you infinite rotation and tilt from the 360 capture. GyroFrame lets you adjust and export reframed footage directly in the DJI Fly app.
If you are a real estate videographer, event shooter, or documentary filmmaker, the idea of capturing everything and choosing your framing later is probably going to get you out of a lot of trouble.
Who Really Wants a 360 Drone Camera?
If you are a run-and-gun creator who wants maximum flexibility in post, the Avata 360 could be worth it at about $549USD. There are like always the additional AKS that you can put on it with the typical incremental costs.
But this camera drone is for those that know they need it. For everyone else - you could probably save your money and get a better sensor and drone for roughly the same price second hand or refurbed.