We've known for the better part of the year that GoPro was working on a consumer-oriented, camera-equipped drone. Now, the company has made it official and even given it a name: Karma. Outside of a forecasted 2016 launch date, however, not much else is known about GoPro's first camera drone.
Way back in May, GoPro CEO Nick Woodman revealed that his company was developing a quadcopter that would serve as their entry into the rapidly expanding (and profitable) drone market. In October, GoPro teased us with some footage captured using a developmental prototype drone and stabilization system - the same footage used in its official announcement.
GoPro electing to go with the name Karma may be a subtle jab at drone titan DJI.
In an interview with Forbes several months back, DJI CEO Frank Wang said the two companies initially wanted to work together on a product that GoPro would sell. The problem, according to Wang, is that GoPro dealt with DJI as it did with Taiwanese OEMs (I assume that's disrespectfully).
GoPro allegedly wanted two points of profit to DJI's one while Wang believed it should be the other way around. Ultimately, the two decided not to partner on the venture. Naming its first drone Karma could be GoPro's way of rubbing it in DJI's face that they made it without their help.
Last we heard, the GoPro drone would retail for between $500 and $1,000 when it goes on sale next year.