Insta360 Fires Back at DJI With its Own Rocket Launch Video

Last week, DJI shared a rocket launch video recorded using Osmo Action 6 cameras. As is so often the case, DJI’s primary commercial and legal rival, Insta360, is not content to merely watch from the sidelines. Insta360 has its own new rocket launch video, too.

To describe DJI and Insta360 as bitter rivals, as Digital Camera Life fairly puts it, is honestly underselling how much these two companies hate each other. While there is no way to prove that Insta360’s newest video is in direct response to DJI’s recent rocket videos, the timing is certainly interesting.

Although DJI has long held a market share advantage over Insta360, DJI’s ongoing issues with operating inside the large U.S. market have given Insta360 a serious opportunity to make up ground. It’s a chance that Insta360 is very unlikely to ignore.

Unlike DJI’s recent video, which is a nine-minute video of a rocket’s ascent into space and descent back to Earth recorded by a dozen Insta360 Osmo Action 6 cameras mounted to a LandSpace Zhueque-3 reusable rocket, Insta360’s much shorter video is a supercut of multiple rocket launches captured by multiple Insta360 cameras, including 360-degree X5 and X6 models and the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 action camera co-engineered with Leica.

Heck, even Insta360’s partnership with Leica feels like a move that is at least partially fueled by competitive spirit and rivalry. DJI bought another storied and prestigious European photo company, Hasselblad, in 2017.

Beyond the obvious similarity that both DJI and Insta360 stuck cameras on a rocket ship, they both also emphasize that their cameras can do crazy things like this without any special modifications. In DJI’s case, the company described this achievement as a “milestone.” In Insta360’s case, it is happy to show that its cameras, even the ones that got “absolutely cooked” by the rocket ship, secured the shot and delivered the desired footage. It’s rare for camera companies to show their products in such a decimated state.

Some cameras were definitely harmed in the making of this video.

“When humanity pushes the boundaries of gravity, we stand on the frontlines to capture every terrifying, beautiful, and historic second. From 3,000°C engine plumes to violent acoustic shockwaves, Insta360 cameras are placed where no human can stand — delivering front-row seats to the future of space exploration,” Insta360 says.

As Digital Camera Life explains, DJI and Insta360’s newest rocket videos aren’t just promotional material, although they are certainly that, too. These videos show how DJI and Insta360 are competing for the same customer and are willing to go to extreme lengths to showcase their engineering. It’s kind of a space race of sorts, albeit one fought with cameras rather than rockets. But hey, when we get more videos of rocket launches, we all win.

Image creditsInsta360