The new Karma drone from GoPro

Updated Feb. 23, 2018 to reflect GoPro’s current involvement with the Karma drone.

 

Now is the perfect time to make a purchase if you are looking to buy a drone for photography or videography.

Considering GoPro is already in the camera business, they decided to take a different route and in 2016 tried to compete with companies in the drone market such as DJI.

However, GoPro ended up recalling their Karma drones and decided to release a new and updated version.

It performed better, but the fact that it had the stigma from the first released version did not benefit sales. I still think the Karma drone is a steal with the price being at 599 dollars.

The Karma has improved since its initial release in 2016. It no longer falls out of the sky, or randomly flies away, plus it has all the things you need as a content creator.

The Karma is much more than a drone, as it gives you video stabilization in the air and on the ground.

It comes with a backpack that you can carry with you anywhere. And a grip and a gimbal where you can attach your GoPro.

This is convenient if you are going out on a trip or hiking and you want to capture the moment. You can detach the gimbal from the Karma drone and attach it to the grip when you want to record on the ground.

It comes with one battery for the drone that will last about 18 minutes of flight time, which is not that much.

There is a Karma drone that can be sold with or without the GoPro Camera, and for those who already have the hero camera, it will be cheaper to get the Karma drone since you save at least 200 dollars.

I have experienced a great sense of versatility with the GoPro Karma drone.

 

Whenever I want to get aerial footage of Newport Beach, I’ll just pull out the Karma and fly alongside the coast. And If I want to record my niece running around playing in the sand, I’ll detach the gimbal and camera from the drone and attach it to the grip, to record.

It provides the ability to create very smooth, cinematic footage. I would not recommend the drone for video blogs because the audio capabilities in the camera can sound pretty bad and muffled.

If you are a beginner like me in flying drones, it is not that difficult to learn. You can actually learn quite fast.

The best thing to do when you practice is to take it to a very open space like a park or field. Make sure there are no posts or telephone wires nearby, and also make sure you are not in a no-fly zone.

There is a flight simulator that teaches you the basics, but actually practicing flying the drone is more beneficial.

If you are a videographer or photographer, I highly recommend this drone. Even if you are someone who just likes to document special moments, this will be a good start, considering the prices and the versatility of this package.

If I had the money, I would no doubt go with DJI Phantom 4 or The Mavic Pro, but, since I already have the GoPro Hero 4, I chose to go with the Karma drone.

GoPro announced in 2018 the discontinuation of their Karma drones. In their statement to investors, GoPro cited an “extremely competitive aerial market” and “a hostile regulatory environment in Europe and the United States” as two reasons for this decision. They will attempt to sell the remainder of their inventory.