DJI Osmo Mobile 8 Launches With 360° Rotation and Pet Tracking—But Not in America

DJI has launched the Osmo Mobile 8 smartphone gimbal with significant upgrades including full 360° horizontal rotation and the ability to track cats and dogs, but the company confirmed the device won’t be officially available in the U.S. market through official websites following today’s global launch.

The restriction highlights DJI’s increasingly complicated relationship with American regulators as the December 23, 2025 deadline approaches for a mandated security review that could result in an automatic FCC ban.

What’s New in the Osmo Mobile 8

The eighth-generation smartphone gimbal represents DJI’s most capable mobile stabilizer yet. The headline feature is 360° horizontal pan rotation—a first for the Osmo Mobile series that enables smooth panoramic shots and unlimited rotation while tracking moving subjects. Previous Osmo Mobile models were limited in their rotation range, requiring manual repositioning for certain shots.

For the first time, the gimbal can now track pets alongside humans. The Multifunctional Module—which attaches magnetically to the phone clamp—includes upgraded tracking capabilities specifically designed to keep cats and dogs in frame. This expands the device’s usefulness beyond vlogging and social media content into pet photography and family videos.

iPhone users gain another tracking option through Apple DockKit compatibility, enabling subject tracking within the native iPhone camera app or any of the 200+ iOS applications that support Apple’s tracking technology. Android and iPhone users can still access DJI’s proprietary ActiveTrack 7.0 through the DJI Mimo app, which now supports tracking people, pets, or objects with improved accuracy in crowded or complex environments.

Enhanced Multifunctional Module Capabilities

The magnetic Multifunctional Module serves triple duty as a tracking device, lighting solution, and audio receiver. The integrated fill light offers eight brightness levels and eight color temperature settings, controlled via a side wheel for quick adjustments during shooting.

Audio quality gets a boost through the module’s built-in microphone receiver compatible with DJI Mic 3, DJI Mic 2, and DJI Mic Mini transmitters. This integration provides crystal-clear audio for livestreams and vlogs without requiring separate receiver hardware.

Hand gestures control the module’s functions: showing your palm starts or stops tracking, making a V-sign captures photos or starts recording, and a double-L gesture with both hands adjusts subject framing. These gesture controls work across native camera apps and livestreaming platforms.

Improved Ergonomics and Extended Capabilities

The Osmo Mobile 8 introduces an ultra-comfortable grip designed specifically for low-angle shooting—perfect for capturing pet-level perspectives or creative ground-level footage. The 4th-generation magnetic phone clamp supports larger flagship smartphones with heavy lens modules, addressing concerns from iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung S24 Ultra users.

DJI’s 7th-generation three-axis stabilization technology ensures smooth footage while switching between front and rear cameras. Three presses on the trigger button rotates the phone’s rear camera to face the user, enabling high-resolution rear camera selfies without compromising image quality.

The integrated extension rod and built-in tripod expand shooting possibilities without requiring additional accessories. Battery life reaches up to 10 hours (370g total weight), and the USB-C port can charge a phone during extended outdoor filming sessions or livestreams.

Pricing and Global Availability

The Osmo Mobile 8 is available to order from store.dji.com and authorized retail partners in most markets, with shipping starting today. The device retails for approximately $125-150 USD based on international pricing, though DJI has not released official U.S. pricing.

Compatible accessories include the DJI OM Magnetic Quick-Release Mount, DJI Mic Mini/2/3 Transmitters, DJI OM Grip Tripod, and the DJI OM 8 Tracking Kit.

The U.S. Market Problem

Here’s where things get complicated. In an email to media, DJI stated:

“The Osmo Mobile 8 will not be officially available in the U.S. market through official websites following the global launch on November 5. DJI remains committed to the U.S. market and is optimizing our strategy to best serve our customers amidst evolving local conditions.”

That carefully worded statement reflects the regulatory reality DJI faces. Section 1709 of the FY2025 NDAA mandates that a U.S. national security agency must complete a security assessment of DJI by December 23, 2025. If no agency finishes the review—and none have confirmed they’re conducting one—DJI automatically joins the FCC’s Covered List.

Being added to the Covered List would block new DJI products from receiving FCC authorization, effectively ending new product sales in the U.S. market. This restriction applies to any DJI device containing radio transmitters—including drones, action cameras, and smartphone gimbals like the Osmo Mobile 8.

The FCC granted itself retroactive ban powers in October 2025, allowing the agency to revoke previously authorized equipment when national security concerns emerge.

DroneXL’s Take

The Osmo Mobile 8 represents solid incremental innovation in smartphone stabilization. The 360° rotation brings DJI’s gimbal lineup to feature parity with Insta360’s Flow 2 Pro, which has offered unlimited rotation since its launch. Pet tracking is genuinely useful for the millions of creators who share animal content, and Apple DockKit integration shows DJI adapting to platform-specific capabilities rather than forcing users into proprietary apps.

But the U.S. availability situation reveals something more significant: DJI is preparing for regulatory lockout. By not offering the Osmo Mobile 8 through official U.S. channels from day one, the company avoids the FCC authorization process entirely for this product. It’s a strategic retreat that acknowledges political reality while maintaining global innovation.

This matters beyond smartphone gimbals. We’ve extensively covered how DJI sent formal letters to five U.S. national security agencies in March 2025 requesting the mandated security audit. Zero agencies responded. The December 23 deadline is now just weeks away, and the silence from Washington speaks volumes.

The automatic ban mechanism in Section 1709 represents a troubling precedent: punishment without evidence, restriction without due process. DJI could be added to the Covered List “without any evidence of wrongdoing or the right to appeal,” as the company stated in its response to the NDAA provisions.

For U.S. customers who want the Osmo Mobile 8, third-party sellers and international retailers will likely fill the gap—just as they have for other DJI products facing regulatory uncertainty. But this workaround undermines the official retail channel, complicates warranty support, and creates confusion about product legitimacy.

The broader implication extends to innovation itself. When a company faces potential market exclusion regardless of product quality or security measures, the incentive to invest in that market diminishes. DJI continues developing cutting-edge products for global customers, but American creators and businesses increasingly find themselves on the outside looking in—not because of technical limitations, but because of political decisions masquerading as security policy.

What do you think? Should smartphone gimbals face the same regulatory treatment as surveillance equipment? Share your thoughts in the comments below.