DJI has filed a lawsuit against Insta360 over patent violations. Here is what we know so far:
- DJI initiated the lawsuit: DJI filed a patent ownership dispute lawsuit against Insta360 at the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court in Guangdong Province, China.
- Date and timing: The case became public today (March 23, 2026), just days before DJI’s planned launch of its first Avata 360-degree drone, which enters a market segment pioneered by Insta360.
- Patents involved: The dispute centers on six patents related to key drone technologies, including flight control, structural design, and image processing/imaging.
- DJI’s main allegations: DJI claims these patents cover inventions created by DJI employees within one year of their departure from the company. The inventions are allegedly tied to the employees’ prior duties at DJI, qualifying as “service inventions” under Chinese law (meaning DJI asserts ownership rights).
- Former employees link: Reports indicate several former core DJI R&D staff are involved, with some patents showing questionable inventor details (e.g., names hidden in Chinese filings but revealed internationally as ex-DJI engineers).
- Court status: The Shenzhen court has officially accepted the case, marking DJI’s first domestic lawsuit of this type focused on patent ownership disputes.
- Insta360’s response: Insta360’s securities department stated it is conducting an internal review and verification with its legal team. If the patents are deemed significant, the company will issue a formal announcement.
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