DJI vs. Insta360: Action Gimbal Battle Heats Up in U.S.

The rivalry between action camera giants DJI and Insta360 has escalated from product launches to legal battles, as both companies now face off in U.S. courtrooms over patent infringement claims. With the Trump administration restricting DJI from selling its products in the U.S., the competition has shifted from retail shelves to litigation.

This summer is proving to be a busy one for major action camera brands. GoPro debuted its new Mission 1 Pro cinema camera, Insta360 released the Luna Ultra gimbal camera, and DJI is gearing up to launch the Osmo Pocket 4 Pro. But behind the scenes, tensions between DJI and Insta360 have reached a boiling point.

Earlier this week, DJI filed two patent lawsuits against Insta360, targeting the company’s Luna series of cameras, including the Luna Pro and the newly launched Luna Ultra. The suits were filed on the same day Insta360 began selling the Luna Ultra in the U. S. DJI accuses Insta360 of “blatantly copying” its patented inventions, specifically calling out the Luna line of gimbal cameras, supporting accessories, and the Insta360 mobile app.

“Insta360’s new Luna line of gimbal cameras, including but not limited to the Luna Ultra, supporting accessories, and the Insta360 mobile application (collectively, the ‘Accused Products’) blatantly copy DJI’s patented inventions wholesale,” DJI stated.

DJI is seeking a permanent injunction to halt sales of Insta360’s Luna cameras, along with monetary damages. The first lawsuit alleges two design patent violations, claiming Insta360 copied the design of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. According to DJI, “the Accused Products are handheld gimbal cameras with integrated optics,the same product architecture pioneered by the DJI Osmo Pocket,and Insta360 markets them expressly as competitors to DJI’s Osmo Pocket line.”

The second lawsuit accuses Insta360 of four utility patent violations, covering the gimbal mechanism, tracking features, and overall operation of the cameras.

Insta360 wasted no time in responding. The company countersued DJI, alleging five patent infringement claims. Insta360 asserts that DJI infringed on its patents related to gimbal stabilization, gimbal directional control, camera smooth stabilization, telemetry overlay, and panoramic video stabilization. The countersuit targets multiple DJI products, including the Osmo Pocket series, Ronin/RS series, Osmo Mobile series, and Osmo 360.

The similarities between the Insta360 Luna Ultra and the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 Pro are hard to ignore. Both are marketed as handheld vlogging cameras with two lenses, integrated gimbals, and a similar form factor. But this isn’t the first time DJI has taken legal action against Insta360 this year.

In March, DJI filed a lawsuit in China claiming that six drone-related Insta360 patents were developed by former DJI employees within one year of leaving the company. Under Chinese patent law, those patents may legally belong to DJI. Notably, Insta360 announced a new drone brand shortly before the Trump administration imposed a ban on DJI drones.

The timing of DJI’s latest lawsuits is critical. Because the U. S. government has classified DJI as a Chinese military company, DJI cannot sell the Osmo Pocket 4 Pro or many of its other products, including drones, in the U. S. With Insta360 launching the Luna Ultra, DJI finds itself unable to compete directly in the niche gimbal camera market it once dominated. Insta360’s Luna Ultra is filling a void in the U. S. that DJI cannot address. As a result, DJI appears to be turning to patent law as a strategy to avoid falling further behind in the American market.