The fact that you’re forced into using this control method is the issue I have. It means I need to bring a friend to act as a spotter every time I fly the drone, as well as remove my glasses before putting on the goggles, which also need to be connected to their own separate battery. Add in the sluggish controls, and it just makes for an overly time-consuming and complicated setup—a long way from the immediacy and convenience of, say, the DJI Mini 5 Pro. That is a drone you can pull out of a bag, fly for five minutes, and pack away without any fuss.
I would prefer an alternative control method of flying using a standard twin-stick controller with either its own built-in screen or a docked smartphone. I suspect a second-gen version of the A1 may well come with multiple control options.
Photograph: Sam Kieldsen
The amount of gear in the setup may be the reason for the A1’s high price, too. With standard bundles starting at $1,599/£1,219, it costs almost as much as a DJI Air 3S Fly More combo, which includes a touchscreen controller. That’s a premium drone with two pro-quality cameras and excellent, easy-to-master flight controls. And while the Air 3S can’t do what the A1 can do in terms of 360-degree video, its image quality is absolutely superb in most conditions.
If Antigravity can bring the price of its next 360 drone down, and either streamline the control setup or offer alternative ways to fly, it could be considered a genuine DJI contender. For now, the A1 is an intriguing and innovative product, but it’s just a little too fussy and expensive to feel like a must-buy.
