Just after a week since the reveal of GoPro’s debut drone products, DJI comes out with their upcoming drone, Mavic Pro, that is said to go head-to-head with the GoPro KARMA.
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DJI being the reigning champion in the drone market isn’t going to let GoPro take the spotlight with their newest line of products – specifically talking about the KARMA drone. Albeit, drone experts say that the KARMA is more in common with the DJI counterpart than its predecessors. Keeping in mind, GoPro has been straight forward in announcing that the KARMA is more than just the drone and rightfully so.
A major distinction between the two drone products is that GoPro moves to bundle the KARMA with the other Karma products like the controller, gimbal, mount, backpack and extra parts. Whereas DJI has expressed that Mavic will not come with their Osmo product which is essential for video stabilization. Another big factor in difference between the two products is that the new GoPro HERO5 and HERO5 Session cameras are waterproof.
Based on specifications the DJI Mavic drone can endure longer flight times and travel farther. It comes with a non-detachable camera and it is a bit lighter than the KARMA. Drone enthusiasts were expecting that the Mavic Pro be equal to its GoPro competitor in terms of flight dynamics and handling. Though it is arguable that for the average pilot on the go, the convenience of easy-handling plays a huge part in how these products will survive in the wild.
It is safe to say that both of these drones have created tons of media buzz without a slight turn of their propellers. According to the GoPro community on Reddit, people are happy about the heavily anticipated KARMA and HERO5 line. For now, the things that KARMA lacks in comparison to the DJI Mavic Pro can quite possibly be resolved by GoPro through a SDK and software update.
| GoPro KARMA | DJI Mavic Pro | |
| Built-in Camera | ✕ (bundle) | ✓ |
| Foldable | ✓ | ✓ |
| Handheld Gimbal Included | ✓ | ✕ (sold separately) |
| Dual IMU & Compass | ✕ | ✓ |
| Folllow Me / Object Tracking | ✕ | ✓ |
| Obstacle Sensing System | ✕ | ✓ |
| Vision Positioning System | ✕ | ✓ |
| Precision Landing | ✕ | ✓ |
| Case / Backpack | ✓ | ✕ |
| Monitor / Screen / Controller | ✓ | ✕ (Partial display) |
| Gimbal | 3 Axis | 3 Axis |
| Camera Lens | FOV 94° 17.2mm f/2.8 | FOV 78.8° 28 mm f/2.2 |
| Resolution : UHD | 4K up to 30p / 2.7k 60p | 4K / 2.7k up to 30p + C4K 24p |
| Resolution : FHD | 1080 up to 120p | 1080 up to 96p |
| Resolution : HD | 720 up to 240p | 720 up to 120p |
| LOG Profile | ProTune™ | D-Log / D-Cinelike |
| Bitrate | 60 Mb/s | 60 Mb/s |
| Stills | 12MP RAW + WDR | 12MP DNG RAW + HDR |
| Burst shooting | 3/5/10/30 fps | 3/5/7 fps |
| Timelapse | 0.5s–60s | 10s–60s (assumed) |
| Max. Speed | 35 mph (15.6 m/s) | 40 mph (17.8 m/s) |
| Max. Distance | 1km | 13km |
| Max. Altitude | 4500m / 4.5km | 5000m / 5km |
| Max. Wind Resistance | 22mph (9.8 m/s) | 24mph (10.7 m/s) |
| Return-To-Home | Enabled | Enabled |
| Satellite Positioning | GPS | GPS + GLONASS |
| Transmission | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi / OcuSync |
| Transmission Range | 1000m / 1km (assumed) | Up to 7000m / 7km |
| Operating Frequency | 2.4GHz | 2.4 GHz to 2.483 GHz |
| Downlink Stream | 720p HD | Up to 1080p FHD |
| Battery | 14.8v / 5100mAH | 11.4v / 3830 mAh |
| Flight Time (apx.) | 20 mins | 27 mins |
| Operating Temp. | ? | 32° to 104° F (0° to 40° C) |
| Weight | 1006g | 734g |
| Dimensions (open) in mm | L 365.2 / W: 224 / H: 90 | L: ? / W: 83 / H: 81 |
| Dimensions (folded) in mm | L: 365 / W: 224 / H: 90 | L: 198 / W: 83 / H: 81 |
| Retail Price : US | $799.99 -or- $1099.99 Hero 5 Bundle | $999.00 |
| Battery Price | $99.99 / | $89.00 |
| Pre-order | Oct 23 2016 | Oct 27 2016 |
| Shipping | Oct 23 2016 | Mid Oct |
