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Are you a "selfie drone pilot" or a full fledged drone pilot?

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Looks like the world of Selfie Drones is heating up. For people who like to travel or do sport/adventurous activies, the selfie drone has found a home. Selfie Drones are not like our Typhoon. They don't have the range, payload, In-depth controller, battery flight time or cool features but they are super portable!

Yuneec has recently launched the BREEZE with a 4K camera (which moves up and down to follow the subject) and the entire drone folds up into a nice portable package. So far it sits at an OK price point and has minimal competition.... but that is about to change.

GoPro is set to release the GoPro Karma on September 19th. It is designed to follow the user in order to obtain those great GoPro sport views that we've all become accustomed to. The only problem is that if you want the GoPro Hero 5 and the drone, you'll have to open your wallet really wide! Photo of the Karma is below. There is no word if the Karma is water-proof... If it is not, then there will be plenty of surfer dudes upset. The Karma is "rumored" to use a tracking device similar to the Yuneec Wizard, but in a different form factor. Oh... and the other rumor is that the Karma can fly indoors like the Yuneec Breeze and also has obstacle avoidance (the sonar kind).

Next is DJI. DJI will release the DJI Mavic on September 27th. The Mavic is another compact drone that has arms/landing gear, that folds out. I think it is the only dark colored one on the market. It is rumoured to be like the Yuneec Breeze with a 4K camera.... that moves up and down, and side to side???? (only a rumour). DJI is really good with their software, so I'm guessing the big selling feature will be in what this drone can do based on the DJI flight software. Rumor has it that it can fly really high (like a real drone), and at a distance (like the drones we have come to know). Price... Well it is a DJI product, so expect it to be like an Apple product and priced much higher than one would expect at first.

The future of drones is getting interesting!

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While it is interesting to see all this 'new' stuff, it doesn't actually interest me in the slightest. My preference is for a multi-rotor that I can use to create video with, not something that takes all the thought out of it.

Don't get me wrong as I am not criticising as I also understand that there is a huge market for the above, and others that will come along.
 
These aren't large copters... they're little things that aren't going to hurt anyone seriously... don't see how it could be a huge issue.
A child in the UK lost an eye to a small 250 sized racer. The problem is any incident even minor ones and close calls will be all over the news.
 
I want to be both! I've only been flying Quads/Drones for about a year now. Amazing the tech advances in that short time. While I really enjoy doing AP and flying my current Drones, I would really love to have something that the "Lilly" appeared to offer in their early ad. I can't wait till they can make a "selfie action drone' like what I hope the Karma will be. I want a SD (Selfie Drone) that;

1) Is durable and self-contained; Don't need to carry props, or any add-ons, everything just unfolds and GTG. Durable enough I can throw it in any backpack and still pile a water bottle, other riding gear on top of it without fear of damaging a prop, gimbal, etc..
2) Easy to use remote that is wearable or mountable on my bike. Can be used with gloves on.
3) Near-perfect follow me. Must be able to keep up with me when I'm zooming downhill and not limit me to 12 mph. 35 mph minimum in follow me mode. It also can't lose track of me and force me to have to ride back to "try" to find it. It can't just stay in place and hover till it reconnects to my remote.
4) Collision Avoidance/Terrain Following that is also near-perfect. I don't want to have to totally pre-plan my route and what obstacles may be on the trail like low-hanging trees or outcroppings. It needs to be able to "see" and figure out ways around it real-time. It also has to figure out that If I set its altitude to be following me at 40', that means regardless of how my altitude may change. If I climb 100' it still needs to be only 40' above me and not crash into the hill/mountain. When I descend, same thing. (of course if it needs to adjust due to collision/obstacle avoidance thats fine).
5) DIY repairs. Modular system so that when that inevitable crash happens, for the most part, I can go to my LHS or Best Buy and pick up the parts and fix it myself rather than send it in and wait a couple weeks. Simple enough that I don't need a soldering iron to fix. Unplug the bad piece and plug in the new piece.

I doubt what I want will be available for a few more years... I can dream can't I?
 
I think the Karma has a different audience but I am interested in the 'selfie drone' space, and to be honest from a feature and flight intelligence perspective they will ultimately benefit the larger platforms such as a future Typhoon H whereas currently the features in these platforms are currently defining what the selfie drone can do.

I was tempted by the ZeroTech Dobby, which appears to be more portable than the Breeze however the leaked DJI Mavic looks to be a perfect combination of the two so looking forward to seeing that in real life.

As I said to DJI pilot the other day who stopped me to talk about the Typhoon H, its not this generation of product we want, its the next, but without people buying the current generation there will not be a next. So I'll buy one, crappy video stabilisation and all so eventually they'll release a silky smooth version a couple of years down the line.
 
I will be both. My wife and I enjoy the outdoors and many times there is no room for taking one of my drones and all the support equipment. So I will be getting one of the small selfie drones I just do not know which one yet.
 
Well, the initial "untested" reveal of the Karma is pretty much a Yuneec Breeze with a better camera, a controller and a gimbal stick. The price for everything is around $1100 US.

Like the breeze it is very portable. Apparently you can have someone operate the camera while someone pilots the drone. Since it is a GoPro, the camera is removable and can be used for many other things.

I guess like everything we have learned on this forum.... Wait until it is tested in the real world before rendering final judgement. So far, I'm intrigued... but not sold.

 
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Well, the initial "untested" reveal of the Karma is pretty much a Yuneec Breeze with a better camera, a controller and a gimbal stick. The price for everything is around $1100 US.

Like the breeze it is very portable. Apparently you can have someone operate the camera while someone pilots the drone. Since it is a GoPro, the camera is removable and can be used for many other things.

I guess like everything we have learned on this forum.... Wait until it is tested in the real world before rendering final judgement. So far, I'm intrigued... but not sold.

On the GoPro site it is listed at $799.

Oh now I see, $1100 is with a new goPro. Looks like it comes with a handheld gimbal too. I guess the price is not too bad if you think the Handheld Gimbals are $300 by them self.
 
DJI MAVIC I am waiting for you 27/09/2016,
Sorry Yuneec please improve your quality then come again.


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DJI Mavic 無人機 9 月 27 日亮相!6 大傳聞特徵搶先解析

DJI 大疆创新首款 折叠迷你机 Mavic 谍照! – SB-DJI 无人机炸机资讯站
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DJI MAVIC I am waiting for you
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從我的iPhone使用Tapatalk 發送

This is the one I'm waiting to see, but I think it is going to be over $1000 also and for that price I think I would rather have something that uses the GoPro as I can update or change out the camera anytime and use the camera for other things.
 
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This is the one I'm waiting to see, but I think it is going to be over $1000 also and for that price I think I would rather have something that uses the GoPro as I can update or change out the camera anytime and use the camera for other things.

GoPro karma without any camera U$799.9
GoPro hero 5 U$399


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Well, the initial "untested" reveal of the Karma is pretty much a Yuneec Breeze with a better camera, a controller and a gimbal stick. The price for everything is around $1100 US.

You can't compare the Karma with the Breeze, they're not in the same ball park. Having watched the presentation I am impressed. I am not an action sports person but I do have a family and always liked the versatility of the GoPro range and its ability to mount on anything and be used anywhere allowing you to easily mix footage from a cycle ride, a car journey, underwater, by the pool and when on a Phantom 1 or 2 the air. Karma is a great extension to that. I can see its appeal, and its price point is pretty competitive especially for people with a GoPro.

DJI MAVIC I am waiting for you 27/09/2016,
Sorry Yuneec please improve your quality then come again.

Not convinced on the controller, I mean, where is DJI GO. Bu I am waiting on the 27th to see how it compares with the Breeze.
 
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I've posted in new thread about Karma sorry did not see these postings.

I was impressed by a CEO who gave a superb presention with excellent video clips. It shows confidence in the product.

Yuneec should learn from it and not hide in the shadows. Breeze is a better priced 'Leisure' drone. Karma preumably has the gimbal Solo lacked with a camera that should beat the CGO3+ and the x3. Narrower FOV lens for the Hero 5?
 

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