DJI now has two drones in its Avata lineup, and they’re more different than their shared name suggests. The DJI Avata 2 is a cinewhoop drone that thrives when flown indoors. The DJI Avata 360 is definitely an outdoor drone, and it stands out for its 360-degree FPV flight.
But whereas often these “versus” articles come down to whether the specs on the newer model are worth the higher price associated with the flashy new drone versus last year’s version, that’s not anything like the case here. Sure, both the Avata 2 and Avata 360 come from the same Avata line, but in a lot of ways, it feels like that name is all they have in common. Choosing between them isn’t really about which is “better” as much as it is about which one matches how you actually fly (or want to fly)
Now one more quick caveat: I have not yet personally flown the Avata 360 yet. Due to those ongoing political concerns (yes, I’ve been extensively covering them here), DJI is not directly shipping its new Avata 2 into the U.S., a practice it deployed with other recent drone launches including the Mavic 4 Pro. However, you can purchase it from third-party retailers. Thus, this guide is based entirely on my actual Avata 2 flights, coupled with my read on the Avata 360 specs.
Here’s the full breakdown of the similarities and differences between the Avata 2 and Avata 360, and how to choose between the two.
Avata 2 and Avata 360: The quick answer
Buy the Avata 2 if: You want the best indoor FPV drone, you’re new to FPV flying, you want to fly in the U.S. with no purchase complications, or you want a lighter, more maneuverable drone at a lower price.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from Adorama.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from Amazon.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from B&H Photo.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from GetFPV.
Buy the Avata 360 if: You want 360-degree capture for outdoor creative work, you already own DJI goggles and accessories, or low-light performance and 8K footage are priorities.
What the Avata 2 and Avata 360 have in common
Both drones are designed around the FPV flying experience where you strap on goggles, pair a motion controller, and get an immersive first-person view of your flight. Both use DJI’s motion controller ecosystem and are compatible with DJI Goggles 3 and Goggles N3. Both include integrated propeller guards. Alas, that’s roughly where the similarities end.
Camera: Avata 360 wins on specs, Avata 2 wins on use case
The Avata 360 has the superior camera on paper. You’re getting 8K/60fps HDR video, 120MP photos, and 1/1.1-inch sensors with 2.4μm pixels that deliver meaningfully better low-light performance than most action-camera-class sensors. It also has a Single Lens mode that switches to traditional forward-facing 4K/60fps FPV filming, giving it genuine dual-mode versatility.
I haven’t flown the Avata 360 myself, but here’s a sample image DJI gave me from one of its creators:
The Avata 2 shoots 4K/60fps with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, which is solid but not in the same class. It’s more of your “expected” drone camera, optimized for the kind of smooth, cinematic indoor footage that cinewhoops are known for,. It’s got electronic image stabilization tuned specifically for low-speed proximity flying.
For better or for worse, the 360 camera on the Avata 360 is — shall we say — transformative. It also works well outside as you can capture everything around the drone simultaneously and reframe in post. But indoors, that capability is largely wasted. You’re too close to walls and ceilings for wide spherical capture to add much creative value, and stitching artifacts are more noticeable in tight quarters.
Winner: Avata 360 on raw specs. Avata 2 on practical indoor application.
Weight and size: Avata 2 wins
This is the most important difference for most buyers, and it’s significant.
The Avata 2 weighs 377 grams, but the Avata 360 comes in at approximately 455 grams — nearly 80 grams heavier, which is a lot when you’re talking about a drone flying around your living room or a narrow hallway. The Avata 360 is also physically larger.
For indoor flying, weight and size matter enormously. More mass means more kinetic energy in a collision, which means more damage — to the drone, to your walls, and to anything fragile nearby. The Avata 2’s compact 185×212mm footprint is specifically designed for tight indoor maneuvering. The Avata 360 is not.
Notably, both drones weigh much more than 250 grams. The 250g threshold is significant for drone pilots, as drones under it avoid many FAA registration requirements for recreational flyers.
Winner: Avata 2, clearly.
Flight time: essentially a draw
The Avata 2 offers up to 23 minutes of flight time. The Avata 360 also offers up to 23 minutes. This is one area where the two drones are practically equals.
Winner: Draw.
Availability and price: Avata 2 wins for U.S. buyers
The Avata 2 starts at $579 (drone only) and is available through all major U.S. retailers — Amazon, B&H Photo, GetFPV, etc.
The Avata 360 is a different story. As I’ve covered extensively in my DJI FCC ban coverage, DJI states the Avata 360 is “not officially available in the United States via official websites.” The drone received FCC approval before the ban took effect, so it’s legal to buy and fly — but there’s no official domestic retail path through the U.S. U.S. buyers can find it through legitimate third-party retailers including Amazon and B&H, but it’s a complication the Avata 2 simply doesn’t have.
The Avata 360 Fly More Combo runs approximately $979, while the Avata 2 Fly More Combo is similarly priced at around $999.
Winner: Avata 2 for U.S. buyers. Draw internationally.
Ecosystem: depends what you already own
If you already own DJI Goggles 3, Goggles N3, or RC Motion 3 from a previous Avata purchase, the Avata 360 integrates with that existing hardware — potentially saving you real money on the overall system cost. That’s a genuine advantage for existing DJI FPV ecosystem owners.
If you’re starting from scratch, both drones require buying into a full system. Neither has a meaningful ecosystem advantage for new buyers.
Winner: Avata 360 if you already own DJI FPV accessories. Draw otherwise.
Related read: Can you wear glasses with DJI Goggles? Here’s what to know before flying the Avata 2
The verdict
The Avata 360 is the more technically impressive drone, yet I’m inclined to say the Avata 2 is the more useful one for most people.
If you’re primarily flying indoors, the Avata 2 is the correct choice and it isn’t close. It’s lighter, smaller, better calibrated for indoor obstacle avoidance, easier to buy in the U.S., and significantly cheaper. It’s my top pick for indoor flying for good reason.
If you’re primarily flying outdoors and want 360-degree capture — whether for creative content, mountain biking footage, travel documentation, or the “fly first, frame later” post-production workflow — the Avata 360 is intriguing.
One thing the Avata 360 is definitively not: a replacement for the Avata 2. They’re different tools for different jobs. DJI naming them both “Avata” is arguably the most confusing thing about this comparison.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from Adorama.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from Amazon.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from B&H Photo.
- Buy the Avata 2 drone now from GetFPV.
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