During a Facebook Live session yesterday morning, GoPro unveiled their latest new product showcase to much fanfare. While the new editing software/cloud storage and version 5 action cameras are pretty cool in themselves, it was the Karma drone that stole the show.
Weighing just over 2 pounds, the Karma drone captures up to 20 minutes of shake-free footage from the air. It can fly up to 35 mph, 14,500 feet high in the air, and around 3000 feet away from you.
The four separate 10-inch propeller arms fold in on themselves to create a compact package that is easy to transport. The arms are replaceable and Karma comes with the tools you need to do the job yourself.
GoPro tried to make the Karma Controller as simple and easy to use as possible. One button is all you need for takeoff and if you have to bring Karma back, simply hit the Land button and the drone will automatically return to you. The touchscreen display delivers a real-time, ultra bright, first-person view of what your drone sees during flight and built-in No-Fly Zones keep you from flying into restricted areas. Two joysticks work much like a video game controller to operate both the drone and camera angle.
Possibly the best part about the drone is that the stabilizer is removable. The stabilizer attaches to the Karma Grip to capture handheld, body- and gear-mounted shots. You can conveniently power on and off your GoPro, change modes, start and stop recording, or add HiLight Tags right from the grip. GoPro showed a video of a mountain biker hammering down a trail while wearing the stabilizer on a chest mount and it’s pretty amazing. See video below.
The entire system comes packed inside the Karma Case. The semi-rigid shell helps keep the pack light, while guarding against rain, snow and bumps. Worn as a backpack or tucked into an overhead bin, the pack makes it easy to take Karma anywhere.
The question everyone seemed to be asking was whether or not the Karma Grip and stabilizer will eventually be available as standalone accessory. While a drone is super cool, many more people would use the stabilizer grip on a daily basis.
Either way, at $799 and highly portable, the Karma drone will be on everyone’s want list this upcoming holiday season. The GoPro drone will start shipping October 23rd and is compatible with the new HERO5 Black, new HERO5 Session, and current HERO4 Black/Silver.