Drone News: Insta360's New Drone, Neo 2 Spotted in FCC Filings, CEO Pushes for Airspace Credentials

Welcome back to your Weekly UAS News Update. We've got three
stories for you this week. First, the Neo 2 has been spotted in
FCC filings, Insta360 is jumping into the drone game with a new
brand called Antigravity, and the CEO of DroneUp seems to be
pushing for digital airspace authorizations.





First up, it looks like DJI might have some serious new
competition. Insta360, the company known for its 360-degree
cameras, has launched a new drone brand called Antigravity. And
their first drone sounds pretty revolutionary: it's reportedly
the world's first 360-degree drone that weighs less than 249
grams and can shoot in 8K.Antigravity says its focus isn't on raw
specs, but on creating an "immersive flight" experience that
makes storytelling easy for everyone, from beginners to experts.
The drone will reportedly include smart safety features, like
payload detection to deter misuse or modifications. The full,
official unveiling is scheduled for this August. We've seen other
companies like GoPro and Skydio struggle to challenge DJI's
dominance, so it will be interesting to see if Insta360 and
Antigravity’s approach.Next up, a new DJI drone, the Neo 2, has
surfaced on the FCC website, which is usually the first major
step before a product can be sold in the US. The filing reveals a
notable upgrade: a 1606 milliamp-hour battery, which is about a
12% increase from the original Neo. This should translate to
longer flight times than the original's 18 minutes. While FCC
approval is a promising sign, it doesn't guarantee the Neo 2 will
be available in the US. Since last October, US Customs has been
detaining some DJI shipments, citing the Uyghur Forced Labor
Prevention Act. DJI firmly disputes any connection to forced
labor, but the issue has already prevented the official US
release of other products, like the Mavic 4 Pro. So, even with
the FCC's green light, the Neo 2's future in the American market
remains uncertain.And finally, Tom Walker, the CEO of DroneUp,
published an opinion piece for Fox News where he pointed to a
recent, dangerous incident during the Texas floods. A private
drone reportedly collided with a rescue helicopter, forcing the
crew to land and grounding a vital asset during a life-or-death
situation.Walker says this isn't an isolated problem. He cited
FAA data showing that illegal drone incursions near US airports
jumped by 25% in the first quarter of this year compared to 2024.
He warns that our current systems for detecting and responding to
these threats are, in his words, "fractured, outdated, and
dangerously inadequate."So what's the solution? Walker wants a
unified, real-time tracking system for all low-altitude air
traffic. He's also pushing for secure digital credentials to link
drones to their pilots, and for expanding the authority of local
law enforcement to counter drone threats. He argues that the
technology to do this already exists, but says we need to act now
before one of these incidents becomes a national tragedy.I can
tell you that we at Pilot Institute will oppose any sort of
technology that introduces ANY cost to access the national
airspace system. Access to the NAS must remain free for ANY and
ALL users. We’ll be watching this closely. And on Postflight, our
show where we share our opinions in the premium community, we’ll
discuss the SkyRover X1 and how drones are being used to drop
mosquitos in Hawaii. We’ll see you on Monday for the live and for
post flight in the community!
https://dronedj.com/2025/07/25/dji-neo-2-drone-fcc/https://dronexl.co/2025/07/28/insta360-antigravity-drone-360-8k/https://dronexl.co/2025/07/21/drone-ceo-warns-of-escalating-airspace-risks/