By David Snow • 8:46 am, May 27, 2022

An issue amateur drone pilots face taking photos or shooting footage is that the drone itself often shows up in the shot. Then, if they want to make that aerial photography perfect, they — or someone they pay — has to edit the drone out afterwards.

Insta360 said Tuesday it solved that problem with it’s new Sphere, a 360-degree camera specially designed to keep the drone “invisible.”

The Insta360 Sphere is a 360-degree camera designed to be strapped around DJI‘s Mavic Air 2 or Air 2S drones. It turns them into content-production tools. And it help ensure you need not be an ace pilot to get clean shots.

The camera won’t block the drones’ tracking or object-avoidance sensors, the company said. And when attached, Sphere can capture an immersive, 360-degree view while making the drone appear to be “invisible” and non-obstructive to the shot.

In addition, the lightweight camera’s intuitive operation makes 360-degree aerial filming easy. Powered by Insta360’s software, Sphere unlocks numerous ways to create content from drone footage, the company said.

As many enthusiasts know, aerial drone photography often proves tricky. It can require advanced flying skills to get the best shots or footage. Insta360 said its Sphere camera changes that.

And how does it change things? By filming in 5.7K 360, the camera lets users adjust the angle and camera direction in their video after the fact. Then, using the reframing tools in the Insta360 app and Studio desktop, anyone can dress up their aerial footage in post. That helps them achieve FPV-like footage on an easy-to-handle drone, Insta360 said.

Shooting with a 360 camera also enables taking multiple edits from the same flight, in addition to the wide-angle footage.

Many drone users mount a 360 camera above or below their device to get 360-degree footage. However, because 360-degree cameras film in all directions, the drone itself often obstructs the video. Removing it requires post-processing or paid video-editing software. That adds hassle and expense to the picture.

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

Image stabilization is crucial to getting immersive aerial footage. Insta360’s proprietary FlowState Stabilization technology is fine-tuned for Insta360 Sphere to ensure steady aerial footage regardless of conditions, the company said.

The camera is compatible with the Mavic Air 2/2S. It attaches to the drone with a locking mechanism. It doesn’t effect the drone’s structural integrity or impede the GPS signal or remote control system.

And Sphere users can take advantage of Insta360’s reframing and editing software to polish 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,” Insta360 said.