UPDATED 01:08 EDT / FEBRUARY 02 2017

EMERGING TECH

GoPro Karma drones back on sale after faulty battery latch fixed

GoPro Inc. is hoping its luck has turned for the better. On Wednesday, the company best known for its outdoor action cameras re-released its Karma drone for sale.

The drone was infamously recalled back in November after a “small number” of Karma units “lost power during operation,” which is a polite way of saying the drones were dropping out of the sky.

GoPro claims the power failures were due to something remarkably simple in the form of a faulty battery latch which could come loose while the drone was being flown. The newly released model now comes with a “new battery latch that allows you return to your regularly programmed dronies without worry.” (Apparently dronies is a word now.)

“Don’t know what a dronie is? When you’re looking for hands-free, epic shots, tune in to one of the four auto flight patterns that Karma offers,” the company helpfully explains. “These preset flight patterns capture shots like dronie, orbit, reveal and cable cam, so no matter your skill level, you can wow people with your drone skills.”

GoPro first announced it was entering the drone market in November 2014 as a way of broadening its product offering at a time when sales of its eponymous GoPro cameras started dropping nearly as quickly as its drones did out of the sky. The Karma launched in September to positive reviews but failed to take off, as it were. The company managed to sell only 2,600 units before being forced to recall them.

Despite their dented credibility, the reborn Karma drones are not being offered at a discounted price. The base drone lists at $799 with no camera or $1,099 with a Hero 5 Black. A version without a stabilizer is also available for $599 directly from GoPro itself or from Best Buy, B&H and Amazon.com.

Image courtesy of GoPro

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