GoPro has decided to recall the newly launched Karma Drone due to power failures during flight. The company has only sold 2,500 units of GoPro Karma worldwide. It’s unknown how many of these units that have been sold locally in New Zealand. GoPro announced the Karma drone at the beginning of the year. Its main function is to allow owners of GoPro action cameras to record from above thereby adding one dimension to the recordings. The Karma drone is obviously optimised for GoPro Hero 5 Black and Hero 5 Session. Hero 4 cameras also fit into the drone’s camera harness. The recall comes at the worst possible time for GoPro just prior to the Christmas shopping season. Furthermore, the company is facing steep revenue declines and increased competition from Sony and the Nikon KeyMission series in the action camera niche. GoPro Karma, which is the company’s first drone, is an attempt to diversify its business. The company’s goal is to create an eco-system of outdoor action products.  Additional concerns for drone manufacturers like GoPro and DJI are that some countries like Sweden have recently decided to forbid recordings and photos taken by dronesdue to privacy concerns.

Recall information

GoPro refunds the entire amount including any related Karma accessories. Please note that Hero 5 and Karma Grip aren’t part of the recall and that it’s only the drone that’s being recalled. More information about Karma Drone and its capabilities here: