GoPro is diving into the world of drones and virtual reality

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.