GoPro is diving into the world of drones and virtual reality

People have been equipping GoPro cameras on their drones fro years, so why hasn’t GoPro just released its own drone with a camera or two built in? Apparently GoPro has been asking itself the same question, as the company is finally getting around to releasing its own camera-equipped quadcopter, which are expected to hit the market sometime next year. The company is also delving into the world of virtual reality thanks to a recent acquisition. 

GoPro is lifting off and branching out. After spending years riding on the bellies of other people’s drones, GoPro is finally building its own quadrocopter for consumers. “Quads plus GoPro has been one of the most enabling combinations,” said GoPro CEO Nick Woodman, who announced the new product at Re/code’s Code Conference Wednesday. Woodman said the camera maker decided to build their own drone when they realized the growth of the sector reminded them of the early days of the GoPro business. “I think that it’s core enough to our business that it makes sense for us to make our own,” explained Woodman. Regular GoPro cameras will, he added, remain compatible with other drones. The drone is set to arrive sometime early next year. No details yet on pricing, but it should appeal to consumers. Woodman’s other new product is decidedly not for average consumers. GoPro is building a six-camera spherical array rig that will allow you to create immersive 360-degree photos and video. Woodman actually brought along an early prototype (see above), but said the final product doesn’t arrive until the second half of this year.