What goes around, comes around
It looks like we no longer need to worry about GoPro drones falling from the sky. GoPro has announced that the Karma drone is officially back on sale.
Quick turnaround
Released last October and recalled in November, the drone is hitting shelves only a few short months after customers began reporting issues with the battery latch that would cause the drone to power down mid-flight.
[clickToTweet tweet=”After a rough end of 2016, there is no doubt that GoPro could use a success with this relaunch.” quote=”After a rough end of 2016 – the company reportedly lost $115.7 million during its fourth quarter- there is no doubt that GoPro could use a success with the relaunch of its Karma drone.”]
Though the company blames much of the loss on a $102 million tax charge, the recall of the Karma drone as well as production problems with their highly anticipated HERO5 camera undoubtedly played significant parts in their fourth quarter profit losses.
Big competition
Though the initial shipments will be limited, GoPro is expecting its production rate to increase rapidly.
As GoPro is relatively new to the drone market, it will be facing steep competition- particularly with China based company DJI, and its recently launched Mavic Pro drone. Selling for a comparable price to the Karma, the Mavic Pro has thus far received stellar reviews. However, GoPro seems to be hoping that its status as arguably the most popular action-camera maker in the world will help give its Karma drone the edge.
Winning features
Featuring the ease-of-use and portability elements their HERO and SESSION cameras are known for, the Karma seems to cater to those who live a particularly active or adventurous lifestyle. Not only does it fold up into an easily transportable backpack, but the controller comes equipped with a touchscreen and a couple of joysticks- not altogether unlike the controller for a futuristic RC helicopter.
The 3-axis gimbal helps stabilize the drone during flight, allowing for it to shoot smoother video footage.
The Karma is available starting at $799.99 for the drone. It is also available for $1,099.99 as a bundle featuring the Karma drone and the HERO5 Black camera. It should be noted that currently, only a select few GoPro cameras are compatible with the Karma drone.
