Video camera maker GoPro Inc. will enter the burgeoning drone market with its own camera-equipped unmanned aerial systems in late 2015, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.GoPro, which sells small high-definition cameras in the $200 to $500 range, is developing multi-rotor helicopters to sell between $500 and $1,000, according to the report. It would not be the first company to sell drones that come with built-in cameras. Such devices are sold by the world’s largest consumer-drone maker, SZ DJI Technology Co. of China, according to The Wall Street Journal. DJI’s website lists its Phantom FC40, which “comes with its own built in DJI designed smart camera.” The growth in this market continues as the FAA plans UAS regulations that will focus on aircraft certification and operator requirements.
The overlap in the camera-donning UAS market is apparent when searching retail websites for the devices. Amazon (which is developing drones for package delivery) lists a “Phantom Aerial UAV Drone Quadcopter for GoPro” and similar items. The fine print for some devices notes that the camera is sold separately. Other brands of drones are advertised with GoPro camera mounts.The Wall Street Journal report points out the potential competition and conflict of interest with GoPro. “I’m happy to let GoPro keep making great cameras and we’ll keep making great copters,” Colin Guinn, senior vice president of sales at 3D Robotics Inc., told the newspaper. The California-based company sells GoPro cameras with its drones.
