As DJI duels Insta360, China sharpens global hardware edge amid US scrutiny

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Western competitors like GoPro face shrinking footprints as strategic shifts of Chinese firms disrupt the status quo while navigating FCC-led national security bans

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Iris Dengin ShenzhenandCoco Fengin GuangdongPublished: 6:00am, 25 Apr 2026Updated: 6:40am, 25 Apr 2026

In the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, a simmering rivalry between DJI and Insta360 has transformed their shared neighbourhood into a high-stakes corporate battleground.

Both companies have long been hailed as the city’s poster children for Chinese innovation. DJI dominated the skies as the world’s undisputed leader in consumer drones, and Insta360 captured the niche market of panoramic cameras.

Now they find themselves locked in a crosstown struggle for market supremacy that some say could reshape the global hardware landscape.

AdvertisementThe first turf incursion came from Insta360 in July, when it announced a full-degree drone under an independent brand, Antigravity. DJI swiftly stormed back with its own panoramic video camera, directly challenging Insta360’s core market.What began as a skirmish has since escalated into a war spanning product lines, pricing strategies, talent acquisition and intellectual property litigation. The friction is also serving as a prime example of how fierce competition can fortify a nation’s hardware ecosystem.

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Flying taxis, airships and drones: the rise of China's low-altitude economy

Flying taxis, airships and drones: the rise of China's low-altitude economy

“Overall, the benefits [of the crosstown rivalry] far outweigh the drawbacks,” said Luo Jun, director of the Future Low-Altitude Economy Innovation Centre.

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