Bad Karma, GoPro recall drone
Just sixteen days, that is all it took to undo Nick Woodman’s grand claims. It’s more than a drone, no its not!
We learnt quite a bit about the launch, only 2500 units shipped. That’s not many at all in the run up to Christmas.
It’s this sort of incident that prompted the recall. Interesting that it appears to power down then power back up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4nRalvmBhA
The web is rife with suggestions that it is the flight battery. I think it might be the removable gimbal. It is either not seating correctly or disconnects momentarily. This should not be an issue but I have been told Karma refuses to fly if a GoPro 4 or 5 is not in place. If the camera powers down or disconnects would the machine switch off?
It uses the immature PX4 flight stack and a look at the motherboard revealed in a great tear 
down last week shows that there are no headers populated for expansion.
Bad news for different sensors, the GPS is also placed right in the middle of lots of RF.
Are those speed controllers getting enough cooling??
Having to put your camera into the quad just to learn how to fly is crazy. Why risk an expensive bit of hardware when training. Personally I don’t add any sensors to a platform I have built until I have at least 5 hours flying time with it under my belt. I can’t afford to crash cameras!
I have to say I have never been a fan of GoPro’s offering they should not have been greedy and worked with DJI.
We actually spoke about Best Buy stopping to show Karma an hour before the recall in our weekly chat.
It looks like GoPro’s venture into the drone space is over. I thought on the launch day that it all seemed like an episode of Silicon Valley. What GoPro has done is made it possible for DJI to hold off on any big discounts over the Black Friday and Christmas Holiday season.
GoPro didn’t let anybody with real experience preview the Karma for any length of time and sent handlers out to ensure stories were on message. I wonder if those preview units had the same issues.
Thanks Nick, I was hoping to pick up a cheap P3P this Christmas.
“Safety is our top priority,” said GoPro Founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman. “A very small number of Karma owners have reported incidents of power failure during operation. We have moved quickly to recall all units of Karma and provide a full refund while we investigate the issue. We are working in close coordination with both the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Federal Aviation Administration. We are very sorry to have inconvenienced our customers and we are taking every step to make the return and refund process as easy as possible.”
GoPro is committed to providing our customers with great product experiences. To honor this commitment, we have recalled Karma until we resolve a performance issue related to a loss of power during operation. We plan to resume shipment of Karma once the issue is addressed.
Return Instructions
If you already own Karma, follow these instructions to return your product for a full refund.
If you purchased from Best Buy or bestbuy.com:
Please contact Best Buy recall hotline at 1-800-566-7498 or visit online support here.
If you purchased from gopro.com:
Please contact customer support at 1-866-886-3001 or visit online support here.
FAQs
Q: Why is GoPro conducting this recall?
A: The recall was announced after we discovered that in a small number of cases, Karma units lost power during operation. We are investigating the issue and working in close coordination with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Q: Is there a recall on HERO5 Black or Karma Grip?
A: No. The recall is only for the Karma drone. HERO5 Black and Karma Grip are not subject to a recall. However, if you purchased the Karma drone bundle package, which included HERO5 Black and Karma Grip, you must return those with your Karma drone for a full refund.
Q: My Karma drone appears to be operating okay. Can I continue to use it?
A: No. Even though your Karma appears to be working fine, we are asking all customers to immediately stop using the product and participate in the recall. Refer to the Return Instructions section above.
Q: Can I exchange my Karma drone for one that is not affected?
A: No. We are recalling all Karma units and providing a full refund. We are investigating the issue and plan to make Karma available once it has been resolved.
Q: How do I return Karma?
A: Refer to the Return Instructions section above.
Q: What if I bought Karma at Best Buy or bestbuy.com?
A: All Karma drones bought at Best Buy or bestbuy.com should to be returned to Best Buy or bestbuy.com for a full refund. Refer to the Return Instructions section above.
Q: Will I receive a refund for Karma?
A: Yes. You will receive a refund for your purchase. All components included with the Karma drone bundle, including HERO5 Black and Karma Grip, must be returned for a full refund.
Q: Will I receive a refund for GoPro Care for Karma? And what if I bought accessories?
A: Yes. You will receive a refund for GoPro Care for Karma and any Karma-related accessories you may have purchased.
Q: I no longer have the receipt for the product. Can I still return it?
A: Yes. You can still return the product without a receipt.
Q: Do I have to return all the components received with the Karma drone if I purchased a Karma drone bundle?
A: Yes. Even though the recall is only for the Karma drone, all components included with the Karma drone bundle, including HERO5 Black and Karma Grip, must be returned for a full refund.
