There’s something appealing about having your own personal camera crew.
Whether you’re cycling along the coast, hiking through the mountains, or simply determined to make your next vacation look considerably more interesting than it was, a flying camera that follows your every move could be exactly what you’re looking for, and it sounds like a luxury worth considering.
Especially when the price drops by $800.
Antigravity, the drone company incubated by Insta360, has introduced a new $799 Follow Me Bundle for its A1 drone, offering a cheaper alternative to the original $1,599 package. Instead of virtual-reality-style goggles and a motion controller, buyers get a wearable Watch Remote and Ring Remote that let them direct the aircraft without traditional drone controls.
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The A1 captures 8K, 360-degree video, letting users reframe their footage afterward instead of worrying about getting the perfect shot in real time. Its automated tracking system can follow cyclists, runners, and other moving subjects, while the ring lets users adjust the drone’s position with hand gestures.
It’s an intriguing proposition for anyone who wants professional-looking adventure footage without developing an entirely new hobby.
There’s just one particularly inconvenient limitation: The drone doesn’t always recognize what it’s about to fly into.
During The Verge’s testing, the A1 followed its operator through challenging environments but crashed multiple times. Thin branches, power lines, and other hard-to-detect obstacles proved problematic for its navigation. The drone also struggled with elevation changes and occasionally drifted toward neighboring properties.
To be fair, obstacle avoidance remains a challenge for autonomous drones. The A1’s included propeller guards provide some protection during collisions, though they introduce another compromise.
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According to DroneXL, the guards and larger battery increase the aircraft’s weight to approximately 351 grams, above the FAA’s 250-gram recreational registration threshold. Flight time also drops to a claimed 23 minutes with the guards installed, compared with up to 39 minutes with the larger battery alone.
Antigravity and Best Buy offer the $799 bundle, while existing A1 owners can buy the wearable accessory kit separately for $339.99.
For outdoor enthusiasts and solo travelers, the appeal is obvious. Antigravity has made sophisticated aerial filmmaking more affordable and considerably less intimidating. It just hasn’t eliminated the need to watch where your camera is going.
Which, admittedly, takes some of the magic out of hiring a camera operator who doesn’t need a lunch break.
