DJI is known for its camera drones, and it has, in recent years, been known for FPV drones, too. The Avata is an example of the brand’s FPV, which has been through a couple of generations. But this Avata 360 is different. It is the first time DJI considers the possibility that some people can fly, but cannot, for their life, frame. This drone basically announces, “Don’t worry about framing. Just fly.”
The Avata 360 [CH] captures full 360-degree aerial footage, which means everything around the drone gets recorded while you are busy not flying it into a tree, a wall, or that one branch that somehow always appears exactly where you do not want it. Instead of choosing your shot mid-flight, you decide what the shot was supposed to be afterwards.
It is the drone equivalent of shooting first and composing later.
Naturally, DJI did not stop at just sticking two lenses on a flying object and calling it innovation. The Avata 360 keeps the compact cinewhoop-style body with built-in propeller guards, which makes it suitable for tighter spaces where normal drones start behaving nervously. In other words, this thing is clearly designed for flying through places your insurance policy would rather you didn’t.
It also works with DJI’s motion control ecosystem, so yes, you can still fly it like you are directing a spaceship with your wrist. Which, if I can be honest, feels exactly how a 360-degree flying camera should be piloted. Welcome to the future, now.
In short, the Avata 360 is what happens when DJI decides framing is optional and storytelling can be handled later—preferably after you land safely, of course. But then again, since when has this drone maker not had that covered, right?
The new DJI Avata 360 has launched globally, but not officially in the United States—yet. As far as China goes, it starts at 2,788 yuan [CH] (about US$409).
Images: DJI.