Antigravity A1 Launch Date Locked: World’s First 360 Drone Arrives December 4 as DJI Scrambles to Respond

The world’s first integrated 8K 360-degree drone just got a launch date, and it’s arriving nearly two months earlier than expected.

Antigravity has confirmed the A1 will go on sale December 4, 2025 at 9AM EST, accelerating its timeline from the originally planned January 2026 release. The move ensures Antigravity reaches customers before DJI can launch its hastily developed DJI Avata 360 response.

December 4 Changes Everything

The announcement came via a cryptic teaser video posted across Antigravity’s social channels. The terminal-style animation shows a “pre-launch check” sequence with modules loading and inventory syncing.

The launch date appears as “Dec. 4, 2025 [LOCKED]” while the price remains hidden as “XXXX [LOCKED]”.

Three partially censored product modules appear in the teaser: Module_Sy_at*, Module_D_Tr, and Module_Vi_ct. These cryptic names suggest accessories or software features that will be revealed alongside the drone.

The teaser concludes with “Launch_status: ready” and “Progress: 100%” before displaying the final launch date and time.

Racing Against DJI’s Response

The accelerated timeline appears strategic.

When Antigravity unveiled the A1 in August as the world’s first integrated 360-degree drone, DJI took notice. The drone giant quickly pivoted, and leaked promotional images of the Avata 360 surfaced on November 10, revealing DJI’s direct response to the A1.

DJI’s Avata 360 secured FCC certification on November 19, clearing the regulatory hurdle needed for U.S. sales. Industry sources expect DJI to launch before December 23 to beat the looming FCC deadline that could block new Chinese drone imports.

DroneXL’s Jasper Ellens noted that DJI “always watches the competition closely” and suggested “Antigravity should be worried” about DJI’s ability to undercut on price and leverage its established ecosystem.

By moving the A1 launch to December 4, Antigravity ensures it reaches customers first, preserving its first-mover advantage in the category it created.

The Avata 360 takes a different approach than the A1. DJI’s drone features a rotating camera mechanism that switches between 360-degree capture and traditional forward-facing FPV flight. The A1 uses fixed dual lenses mounted top and bottom, capturing everything in 360 degrees at all times.

The Avata 360 also boasts a 38.67Wh battery, representing a 26% capacity increase over the Avata 2. Dual 1/1.1-inch CMOS sensors support 8K video at 50fps.

Leaked pricing suggests DJI will price the Avata 360 Fly More Combo at $999. Antigravity’s pricing remains unknown, though industry estimates place the full A1 kit between $1,300 and $1,700.

What We Know About the A1

The Antigravity A1 packs serious innovation into a sub-250 gram (8.8 ounces) package.

At its core sits a dual-lens 8K camera system that captures everything around the drone simultaneously. Advanced stitching algorithms make the drone itself invisible in footage, creating a “floating camera” effect that places viewers directly in the scene.

The flight system represents a radical departure from traditional drones. Pilots wear Vision goggles with head tracking to look freely in any direction while controlling movement through the Grip controller using natural hand gestures.

Antigravity calls this FreeMotion technology. It separates where you look from where you fly.

“We didn’t want to just build another drone. We wanted to create an entirely new way to fly,” said BC Nie, Head of Marketing at Antigravity, when the drone was first announced in August.

The 249-gram weight keeps the A1 under FAA registration requirements for recreational use in the United States. Similar thresholds apply in most international markets.

Anti-Weaponization Takes Center Stage

One feature sets the A1 apart from every consumer drone on the market: payload detection.

The system automatically lands the drone if it detects any unauthorized weight or attachments. This directly addresses concerns about consumer drones being modified for military purposes, as seen extensively in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Antigravity has positioned this as a core philosophy, not just a feature. The company’s tagline “Born to fly, not to fight” makes clear the A1 is designed exclusively for creative exploration.

This stands in stark contrast to DJI, whose drones have been documented carrying grenades and explosives on both sides of the Ukraine war. While DJI officially condemns military use, the company has not implemented similar hardware-level restrictions.

TIME Magazine Already Took Notice

The A1 earned a spot on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025 list in October, two months before it even ships to customers.

TIME editor Craig Wilson selected the A1 for the Consumer Electronics category, describing it as “an immersive, 360-degree drone camera.” The recognition places the A1 alongside Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 and other high-profile consumer tech products.

This mainstream validation matters. It’s not drone enthusiasts hyping another competitor. It’s TIME Magazine telling millions of readers this product represents meaningful innovation.

DroneXL’s Take

The December 4 launch date is Antigravity protecting what it built.

When we first covered Antigravity’s emergence back in July, we noted the significant challenges facing any company attempting to compete with DJI’s market dominance. Sony, GoPro, and Skydio have all struggled or abandoned consumer drone efforts entirely.

But something different happened this time. Antigravity didn’t try to out-DJI DJI. Instead, they created an entirely new category with the world’s first integrated 360-degree drone. And DJI noticed.

The leaked Avata 360 images and rapid FCC certification show DJI scrambling to respond. That’s remarkable. We rarely see DJI playing catch-up to anyone.

By moving to December 4, Antigravity ensures customers can buy the original before DJI’s response hits shelves. Smart move.

The timing raises fascinating questions about Chinese tech companies and U.S. market access. Both Antigravity (through parent company Insta360) and DJI face regulatory headwinds. Insta360 cameras have faced security scrutiny over data transmission to foreign servers. DJI faces a potential December 23 deadline that could block new product imports entirely.

Yet here we are, watching two Chinese companies race to deliver the most innovative consumer drone technology in years. The irony is not lost on anyone paying attention to Capitol Hill’s anti-China drone rhetoric.

For pilots, the December timing creates an interesting holiday shopping decision. Go with Antigravity’s genuinely novel approach and first-mover status? Or wait for DJI’s proven ecosystem with the Avata 360?

The A1’s anti-weaponization features deserve more attention than they’ve received. In a world where consumer drones regularly appear in combat footage, Antigravity has built hardware-level restrictions that prevent misuse. That’s a meaningful ethical stance that other manufacturers, including DJI, have declined to implement.

December 4 will reveal whether the price justifies the innovation. Until then, the 360-degree drone wars have officially begun.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.