DJI filed a lawsuit against Insta360 for patent infringement

Judicial dispute between DJI and Insta360: key facts

Case description
Initiator of the proceedings
DJI (drone manufacturer) filed a lawsuit in China against competitor Insta360 and its parent company Arashi Vision.
Accusations by DJI
Illicit use of six patents related to flight control, image processing, and equipment design.

Essence of the dispute
The patents were submitted by former DJI employees to Insta360 less than a year after their departure. Under Chinese law, inventions created within 12 months of termination and closely tied to prior work belong to the previous employer.

DJI’s demands
Transfer of rights to the specified patents from Insta360.

Insta360’s reaction
* Denial of accusations
CEO Liu Jingkang stated that all ideas mentioned in the lawsuit were developed internally at Insta360. The company withheld the real inventors’ names not out of fault but to protect them from competitor aggression.

* Status of patent applications
The patents had been unused for almost five years; some (e.g., automatic dive feature) never appeared in finished devices due to strict aviation regulations.

* Counter‑accusations
Liu claims that DJI also copies competitors’ technologies. In particular, the DJI Osmo 360 camera allegedly infringes 28 Insta360 patents. However, Insta360 does not plan to file a counter‑lawsuit – it prefers to invest funds in developing new solutions rather than legal expenses.

* History of legal conflicts
Insta360 has faced similar disputes: the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) rejected all patent lawsuits from GoPro against it.

Why the tension is especially high now
Situation | Significance
DJI’s entry into the 360‑camera market | The company is interested in new cameras with panoramic view.
Insta360’s response – drones | In its Antigravity subbrand, Insta360 released the A1 drone (2025) with panoramic view, and DJI responded with the Avata 360 model.

Conclusion
The litigation reflects broader competition: both companies are simultaneously expanding into each other’s segments—DJI aims for the 360‑camera market, while Insta360 targets drones. As a result, the dispute continues to revolve around patents and market share, with each side seeking a balance between protecting intellectual property and investing in innovation.