Compact drone puts the ‘high’ in high def
GoPro unveils its new Karma quadcopter, though restrictions on drones loom large
OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. — GoPro Inc., known for its rugged camcorder for outdoor adventurers, has unveiled a compact drone designed to record people’s treks from above. The Karma enters the burgeoning market for consumer drones as one of the first models to be more than a toy, but the quadcopter is coming out at a time when several cities and businesses are restricting such aircraft from their skies.
Where it is allowed, the $799 Karma, carrying a separately sold GoPro, is sure to produce majestic images, with dramatic shots lending interest to even the dullest of objects. The foldable drone comes with a grip and backpack, both of which serve as mounts.
“It’s so much more than a drone — it’s Hollywood-caliber stabilization in a backpack you can wear during any activity,” Chief Executive Nick Woodman said Monday during a media event inside an opaque tent assembled on the Squaw Valley Ski Resort’s parking lot.
The San Mateo, Calif., company also announced the Hero5, the newest version of its signature line of cameras, and the smaller, cube-shaped Hero5 Session.
The Hero5, now waterproof without a separate case, includes GPS and a well-performing voice control feature. The Session now comes with the ability to shoot video in 4K resolution.
Both will work with GoPro Plus, a $5-a-month subscription service launching Oct. 2 for storing videos online, layering in licensed soundtracks and editing the production across several devices. Updates will be coming to GoPro’s suite of editing software, too, in an attempt to address long-standing concerns about the cumbersome process of offloading files from the camera. Plug in the new GoPro for charging and it will automatically move files online. “GoPro is finally easy,” Woodman said. But it is the drone package, which Woodman first teased almost a year and half ago, that is sure to draw the most interest. Along with virtual headsets, drones are expected to be some of the hottest gifts during the upcoming holiday season. The Karma hits store shelves Oct. 23 and the new camcorders arrive Oct. 2.
Drone startup Yuneec recently released the $500 Breeze, with an integrated camera and
companion smartphone app that enables amateurs with zero flying experience to get aerial shots. It’s capable of automatically orbiting an object or following a person as he or she moves about. Rival DJI is set to release a similar product this month.
The new drones are generally smaller and easier to fly than a flood of cheap drones that have hit the market the past two years.
People in the drone industry say a product like the Karma just reinforces that the gadgets are becoming a part of everyday life, seen at the beach, on mountains and even weddings.
But drone accidents have resulted in a few highly publicized injuries, including two years ago when a quadcopter plowed into the head of triathlete Raija Ogden, who hasn’t competed since.
“When I watch my husband racing triathlons and see a drone hovering over the swimmers, I tend to get slightly anxious,” Ogden said by email.
There are concerns that, as more people fly drones and take them to more daring situations, injuries will mount. Already, some cities, parks and resorts, including Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, have banned drone use without special approval. Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it would test a drone-disabling technology near certain airports.
In addition to safety concerns, worries include potential invasion of privacy and noise.
“In the current media age of live ‘snapping and sharing,’ we are more aware than ever of the constantly changing landscape of content capture and creation,” Mammoth Mountain spokeswoman Lauren Burke said in a statement. “That being said, providing our guests with a safe experience on the mountain is our No. 1 priority.”