Insta360 Rebuts DJI’s Patent Ownership Lawsuit, Affirms Independent R&D and No Material Operational Impact
Insta360 issued a formal response on March 23, 2026 to a patent ownership lawsuit filed by SZ DJI Technology at the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court, refuting allegations over six drone-related patents and confirming the involved employees joined the firm within a year of leaving DJI but developed the patents as independent in-house innovations. The panoramic imaging specialist stressed the disputed patents are non-core to its business and will not alter its operational or financial outlook, while its CEO Liu Jingkang separately backed the company’s position as the case marks DJI’s first domestic patent ownership litigation. The rebuttal underscores Insta360’s defensive stance amid rising IP tensions in China’s tech sector, with investors showing initial calm as the firm downplayed the lawsuit’s material risks, a key signal for market sentiment around its listed stock on the STAR Market.
Confirms Employee Tenure, Affirms Legitimate In-House Innovation
Insta360 verifies in its stock exchange announcement that all employees linked to the six disputed patents joined the company within one year of their resignation from DJI, a timeline central to DJI’s allegations of improper patent ownership. The firm, however, states unequivocally that the patent applications in question are the result of independent innovation completed by the employees during their tenure at Insta360, with all research and development processes conducted in full compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The response directly addresses DJI’s core claim—that the patents are service inventions tied to the former employees’ work at the drone giant—by drawing a clear legal line between pre-resignation job duties and post-hire R&D at Insta360.
Clarifies Non-Disclosure of Inventors, Labels Patents Non-Core
Insta360 clarifies that the undisclosed inventor names for the disputed patents follow formal regulatory procedures, rejecting any implication of intentional concealment by DJI. The company further mitigates market concerns by emphasizing the six patents at the center of the lawsuit are neither core nor material to its overall business portfolio, which is anchored in panoramic imaging technology and consumer hardware. It explicitly forecasts no significant adverse impact on its production and operations, financial condition, or long-term development strategy from the litigation, a critical disclosure for its shareholders as a publicly listed firm on Shanghai’s STAR Market. As of the announcement, Insta360 notes it has not yet received any official litigation documents from the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court.
CEO Reinforces Corporate Stance in Public Response
Liu Jingkang, CEO of Insta360, issued a personal public response on March 23 to align with the company’s formal stock exchange announcement, further reinforcing the firm’s position on the patent dispute. The CEO’s statement—an additional layer of corporate communication—serves to affirm Insta360’s adherence to legal and compliant R&D practices, and echoes the company’s core arguments of independent innovation for the disputed patents and the lack of material business risk from the lawsuit. The dual response from Insta360’s corporate entity and its top executive is a strategic move to maintain investor confidence and brand credibility amid the high-profile IP litigation from DJI, a dominant player in the global drone and aerial imaging sector.
Signals Defensive IP Strategy Amid Tech Sector Talent Mobility Risks
Insta360’s rebuttal frames the lawsuit as a test of IP compliance in China’s hard tech sector, where talent mobility among R&D teams frequently triggers disputes over service invention ownership under Chinese patent law. The firm’s response—centered on legal compliance, independent innovation and non-material patent risks—establishes a defensive IP strategy that aligns with industry best practices for listed tech companies facing such litigation. By downplaying the lawsuit’s operational impact, Insta360 aims to insulate its stock performance from short-term market volatility, while its clear legal positioning sets the stage for any subsequent judicial proceedings. The case also highlights the broader challenge for Chinese tech firms of balancing talent recruitment from competitors with rigorous IP due diligence to avoid ownership disputes.
Related Coverage:
Insta360 Reportedly Readies Modular 'Luna' Camera to Challenge DJI in 2026