GoPro is about to dominate another segment of the market – drones
After a series of vague announcements and mentions of a prototype, GoPro has finally released their first drone video. While the footage is fairly standard by GoPro standards, the stabilization system that they’re showcasing is anything but.
The first thing you’ll notice about GoPro’s promotional video is just how freaking smooth the video is. Footage this consistent is extremely rare, even in conventional film, to say nothing of aerial production.
GoPro takes great pains to remind you that absolutely nothing was edited—or, more specifically, stabilized—in post-production, adding that the footage came from a “developmental prototype.”
Watch out – they’re just getting started
If this drone is the rough draft, the final edition is almost certainly going to blow our minds.
There has been some speculation regarding the recording equipment itself in the video. It seems reasonable to expect a drone-dedicated camera on GoPro’s quadcopter, but we may simply be looking at footage from a Hero4 at this time—though the video was shot in 1440p, it’s unlikely that this ambitious company would shy away from 4k definition in the finished product.
The secret behind the stabilizing agent remains a mystery, naturally, though GoPro wouldn’t be the first drone this year to play with the concept of a gimbal rig.
It’s not going to be cheap, though
If the $15,000 GoPro Odyssey is any indication of their benchmark, this drone is not going to be cheap. Sure, GoPro specializes in record-breaking quality and an outstanding business model, but the fact remains that drones are expensive to create, build, and distribute—and, by virtue of their dependability, GoPro can easily charge top dollar.
Realistically speaking, members of the informal market—casual drone users, amateur film creators, etc.—are probably not going to be able to afford GoPro’s quadcopter for a long time.
This will be the belle of the ball
Photographers, videographers, realtors, commercial pilots and the like, on the other hand, should be keeping an eye on GoPro’s development. Countless hours of work and their accompanying dollar value might be significantly reduced with the little to no need to stabilize your footage in post-production.
The potential ease of creating a top-of-the-line video with the quadcopter is also a huge factor to consider—if spending a large chunk of change on a high-quality drone that basically does your job for you saves you contracting fees later, it will basically pay for itself.
GoPro’s drone is scheduled for release sometime before June of 2016. Keep an eye on this one, folks!
