The rise of interest in drones now sees video camera expert GoPro entering the consumer arena with its own range.
GoPro itself has experienced a remarkable growth in popularity since its creation 10 years ago and the marrying of its cameras with the new ‘in’ thing is only natural.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the company is developing its own line of consumer drones, expanding away from its stable business of making wearable cameras destined for viral coverage through use by surfers, thrill seekers and other sports enthusiasts.
“The company plans to start selling multirotor helicopters equipped with high-definition cameras late next year, aiming for a price tag between US$500 and US$1,000,” the paper reported. GoPro sold almost 2.8m other devices in the first nine months of 2014, a 15pc increase on last year’s period.
Unmanned aircraft have surged in popularity in the past two years, with technological advancements seeing sizes shrink, usability increase and costs plummet. Parrot, the company largely regarded as the pioneer behind consumer drone products, even lists in our gift guide series.
“The devices are expected to be hot sellers this holiday season and have even inspired their own version of the selfie, or self-portrait photo, called a ‘dronie’,” reported The Wall Street Journal.
A GoPro spokesman told The Wall Street Journal that users of the company’s products are already producing “jaw-dropping GoPro footage recorded from quadcopters,” or drones. He added, “Earlier this year, to study the policy implications and to protect the rights of our users, GoPro joined the Washington-based Small UAV Coalition,” a drone advocacy group.
Drone in flight image via Shutterstock
