BETAFPV Partners With Insta360 to Create Ultra-light 4K Action Cam for Your FPV Drone

 

For years, DIYers in the FPV community have been re-engineering old action cameras and making them more lightweight for FPV drones. With today’s launch, the SMO 4K Action Cam offers an out-of-the-box solution for FPV pilots who want to step up their FPV content without the hassle.

SMO 4K is an ultralight action cam designed for mounting on an FPV drone. Weighing in at just 30 grams, and shaped like a credit card, the camera is stripped-back to include just a 4K wide-angle lens and processing core powered by an FPV battery.

Developed by BETAFPV using Insta360 technology, the SMO 4K is backed up with Insta360’s FlowState stabilization, allowing FPV pilots to get ultra-smooth video using Insta360’s mobile app and desktop software.

The BETAFPV x Insta360 SMO 4k is available starting today at the Insta360 store and retails for US$239.99

Check out the release video below to experience the epic FPV video captured by the SMO 4K. Make sure to hit the settings to watch it in 4K.

https://youtu.be/nbFHzLUIQ9Y

Ultralight, stripped-back design

The average action cam weighs over 100 grams. That may not seem like much—until you mount it on a tiny FPV drone that weighs just 100 grams itself. SMO 4K’s streamlined design means the camera’s weighs just 30 grams (about the same as a Crayon) allowing you to fly faster, longer and do more maneuvers.

Stabilized for FPVs

The most fun part about flying FPVs is all the flips, rolls and acrobatic stunts you can do with the drone. But these maneuvers can also be a challenge for image stabilization algorithms to handle, often leaving you with shaky footage. 

SMO 4K is backed up with Insta360’s proprietary FlowState stabilization algorithm, using the Insta360 app or desktop Studio software. FlowState will keep your shots so smooth, you’ll be able to fly to your heart’s desire. 

Ready to Mount

The SMO 4K camera can be easily mounted on a variety of FPV drones including cinewhoops, 3-4” ducted quads, 4-5” long range FPVs and fixed wing FPVs. 
Coinciding with the launch of SMO 4K is the launch of the new Beta95X V3 cinewhoop quadcopter. This drone has a built-in mount for the SMO 4K camera for easy out-of-the-box installation. Plus, its “pusher-style” inverted frame maintains a low center of gravity and makes the drone easier to maneuver. 
If you’ve already got your own FPV, STL files are also available to 3D print your own mount.

Plug-in and control

The camera comes with a 6V to 27V power connector that supports 2S to 6S LiPo FPV batteries. Just plug in and go. You can also connect the camera to your radio controller to start and stop recording remotely without having to stop flying.

No more jello effect

One of the challenges of shooting cinematic FPV footage is the “jello effect”, or having strong vibrations in your video. To help combat this, SMO 4K comes with an ND16 filter in the box which gives you more natural motion blur in bright conditions. Meanwhile, a UV filter is also included which can double as a lens protector during your flights.

Available now !

SMO 4K is available globally starting today at Insta360.com and retails for $239.99. A Get-Set Kit is also available, which includes the camera and the Beta95X V3 cinewhoop quadcopter.

4K ultra-wide angle shots

All FPV drones have a camera mounted on them to send a live video feed back to the operator. Most of these camera max out at about 1080p resolution. By using an action camera, you can shoot 4K wide ange video with more detail, stabilized footage and higher dynamic range.
SMO 4K shoots 4K footage at 24/25/30/60fps. (and there’s a 4K 4:3 option up to 30fps as well). Other video resolutions include 2.7K @24/25/30/60/100fps and 1080p@24/25/30/60/120/200fps.

 

Key Specs

Weight	30g (1.06 oz)
Dimensions (WxHxD)	61.6×39.4×29.2mm (2.42×1.55×1.15in)
Power supply range	6V-27V (compatible with 2S-6S LiPo FPV Battery
Aperture	f/2.8
35mm Equiv Focal Lenght	16.4mm
Video Resolution	4000×3000@24/25/30fps 2840×2160@24/25/30/60fps 2720×1530@24/25/30/60/100fps 1920×1080@24/25/30/60/120/200fps
Video format	mp4
Video Coding	H.264, H.265
Video Modes	Normal, HDR, Timelapse, TimeShift, Basic (in-camera) Stabilization, Pro Stabilization (for FlowState)
Max Bitrate	100Mbps
Bluetooth	BLE4.0
Wi-fi	5G (standard range appox 2m)
Micro SD Card	UHS-I V30 speed class, exFAT format SD cards with a max storage of 1T are recommended
Use Environment	-20C to 40C (-4F to 104F)
Color	Black and Red