GoPro Cameras Learning To Fly, Hoping To Capture Drone Hobby Market

SAN MATEO (KCBS) - GoPro is hoping to be the eye in the sky for the drone crowd.

Founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman told the Code Conference that his company is developing a four-rotor drone for consumers with a launch planned for the first half of next year.

GoPro cameras are already used by drone makers and the San Mateo firm will continue to do that while working on its own quadcopters.

Woodman also says the company on a six-camera array with 360-degree footage that can be utilized by virtual reality headsets. That technology could be available later this year, and Woodman says that professionals will likely be more interested in that technology.

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Woodman also told the conference he thinks of GoPro as a "content-enabling" company rather than a device maker, making a comparison to Disney when it comes to entertainment.

Shares in the firm are surging higher on the news.