GoPro Karma to Make a Comeback in 2017

It’s the news that many GoPro fans have been waiting for. Or at least it’s the news that there will soon be some news. The camera giant has announced that the Karma drone, recalled at the end of 2016 after a series of random crashes, will be re-launched later this year. We don’t know when yet, but the company has said that more details of the GoPro Karma comeback will be released in early February.

Interestingly, GoPro admitted that it withdrew Karma from the market “after a small number of instances of power loss due to a mechanical issue related to securing the drone’s battery”. We understand that testing is still ongoing to ensure all batteries are properly secured, but the company is confident that the GoPro Karma will get back onto shelves and fly again.

Although it conveniently coincided with the US presidential election, the Karma recall was both disastrous and embarrassing for GoPro. After a huge marketing campaign built up huge expectations, the company was already battling hard for sales with DJI’s superior Mavic Pro before its drones began falling out of the sky. And since then, of course, DJI has released yet another top-end consumer drone, the Phantom 4 Pro. Even if GoPro could compete with DJI on a technical level, it remains to be seen whether drone pilots will flock back to the company until it can develop a better track record in terms of reliability.

Read more: Karma Fallout Continues: The Latest Bad News for GoPro

GoPro is now aiming to put a miserable 2016, complete with missed deadlines, falling sales and falling-out-of-the-sky drone, firmly in the past. Having said that, the $799 Karma drone still represents its best chance of a positive future, especially if the company can continue to tap into a loyal base of customers with what is essentially three modular products in one.