By 
GoPro has finally unveiled their first ever drone. We’ve known for a while that GoPro would be joining the drone market, but now it’s official. This is a move that makes a lot of sense for a company known for action photography. Drones have become a huge part of this industry. The leader in drones is without a doubt DJI and their Phantom line. Let’s see how the GoPro Karma compares to the best from DJI.
More Portable
The Karma is meant to be a very portable drone. It weighs less than the DJI models and folds up to be even smaller. The “wings” and landing gear can be folded up so the Karma fits in a backpack. The compact size and portability come with a few trade-offs. Flight time is only 20 minutes, which is almost 10 minutes less than the Phantom 4. The max speed is 10 MPH less than the Phantom 4 as well.
Works with GoPro
As you might expect, the Karma works very well with GoPro cameras. It’s compatible with the brand new Hero5, the Hero4, and the compact Session cameras. GoPro cameras are some of the best in the action category, but DJI is no slouch either. The Phantom 4 shoots in 4K at 30 fps, the Phantom 3 does 1080p at 30 fps. You’ve probably seen footage from these drones on the internet. They are capable of breathtaking videos. We know that the Hero4 is a great camera, but we’ll have to wait on the Hero5.
Competitive Pricing
Price is probably the biggest differentiator. If you already have one of the supported GoPro cameras, you can get the Karma for just $799. With the tiny Session camera it comes to $999. Or you can go all the way and get the Karma and Hero5 for $1099. The DJI Phantom 4 includes a camera for $1,199, which is very comparable. But since so many people already have compatible GoPro cameras, the $799 price is going to be a popular buy. Not to mention it comes with a handy gimble grip that can be used without the drone.
The Karma drone will be available on October 23rd for the prices listed above. You can get the Hero5 cameras on October 2nd and buy the Karma separately. We will be very interested to see how the Karma performs when it launches. DJI is expected to announce a direct competitor to the Karma later this month. A portable drone is a very attractive idea, and the Karma looks like an excellent choice. DJI could have one of their own very soon. Do you plan on picking one up?
Comments