DJI Sues Insta360 in Patent Showdown

53

DJI’s Patent Allegations Against the Luna Series

DJI has initiated legal proceedings in the Eastern District of Texas, targeting Arashi Vision Inc., the company that operates as Insta360. According to PetaPixel, the company has filed two separate lawsuits: one focused on two design patent violations and another involving four utility patent violations. The design patent claim asserts that the Luna Pro and Luna Ultra cameras closely mimic the Osmo Pocket 3. DJI’s filing specifies that the ornamental design of the products covers specific physical attributes, including the elongated handheld body, neck connecting the body to the gimbal arm connection point, gimbal assembly and camera. A second design patent reportedly covers the module at the top, rotatable display and bezel, lower control section housing the scroll wheel and record button, side-mounted accessory slot, and the port opening at the base. The utility patent lawsuit is more technical, targeting the core functionality of the gimbal. DJI alleges Insta360 infringed on patents regarding:

• A control device for a gimbal that allows mode switching between follow and locked modes via a single control.
• A handheld gimbal with integrated subject tracking and real-time display that functions without a separate app.
• A gimbal control method where the device’s own image of a target drives the motor commands.
• A self-contained system for tracking a subject and displaying the image on the gimbal’s screen.

DJI stated that the Accused Products blatantly copy DJI’s patented inventions wholesale. The company is seeking a permanent injunction, profit disgorgement, and damages no less than a reasonable royalty.

Insta360 Counters with Five Utility Patent Claims

Insta360 has responded to the litigation by filing two countersuits in the United States. The company asserts that DJI has infringed upon five of its own utility patents related to gimbal and 360-degree camera technology. As Newsshooter reported, the countersuits claim DJI’s technology violates Insta360 patents covering gimbal stabilization, directional control, camera smooth stabilization, telemetry overlay, and panoramic video stabilization. These disputed technologies are allegedly used in several DJI product lines, including the Osmo Pocket, Ronin/RS series, Osmo Mobile series, and Osmo 360.

“At Insta360, we prefer to let our products do the talking. But we are not afraid of a legal battle when challenged. We are fully committed to protecting our innovations and will take decisive action to defend our intellectual property from infringement. Luna Ultra is the result of years of independent R&D, not a response to any competitor’s product. Development began in 2020, with earlier Insta360 products including the ONE R, Link Series webcams, and Flow Series gimbals helping shape the technology and design direction behind Luna Ultra. DJI filing lawsuits on the same day we launched Luna Ultra speaks volumes—exposing their fear of competition from a highly competitive product.”

JK Liu, Founder of Insta360, via Newsshooter

Luna Ultra Hardware and Specifications

The legal battle centers on the Luna Ultra, a device designed to compete directly with DJI’s vlogging and travel documentation tools. Developed in collaboration with Leica, the camera features a Summicron lens and a one-inch 8K sensor. According to Engadget, the Luna Ultra launched on June 10 with a retail price of $770. The device is available through the Insta360 website, Amazon, and Best Buy. While the Luna Ultra offers high-end resolution and internal storage, users can expand capacity via a microSD card up to 1TB.

Market Competition and User Experience

The timing of the lawsuits suggests a strategic effort to impact Insta360’s U.S. market entry. DJI appears to have been monitoring the Luna launch, as the filings occurred almost immediately after the product became available for sale in the United States. Despite the high-end specs, initial user feedback suggests the Luna Ultra faces usability hurdles compared to its predecessors. In a review for The Verge, the Luna Ultra was noted for having a secondary lens with 6x lossless zoom and a wireless detachable touchscreen, which provides advantages for capturing distant subjects. However, the review also highlighted several practical drawbacks. The Luna Ultra is reported to be less compact and more difficult to grip than the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. Additionally, the device’s menu navigation and autofocus reliability were cited as areas where the DJI model currently feels more intuitive and reliable.

“Luna Ultra marks Insta360’s arrival in the gimbal camera space, backed by the full strength of our imaging expertise. We believe this category is ready for a new standard, defined by smarter technology, stronger performance, and a more intuitive user experience.”

Max Richter, marketing VP and co-founder of Insta360, via Engadget As both companies move toward litigation in the Eastern District of Texas, the outcome will likely define the boundaries of patent protection for handheld gimbal technology and influence how manufacturers design integrated stabilization systems.

Find more reporting in our Technology section.