GoPro share price flies after chief Nick Woodman reveals drone and VR plans
Shares in camera maker GoPro are flying after chief executive Nick Woodman revealed the company plans to make its own drones.
The action camera's stock surged more than seven per cent, hitting a four-month high of $57.35 after Woodman told a tech conference audience it is planning to offer fans the opportunity for even more thrill-filled films with a range of accessories.
As well as a quadcopter drone on which the GoPro camera can be mounted, Woodman said it is working on a Six Camera Spherical Array – a head-mounted accessory that can capture multiple shots for use in virtual reality devices.
Speaking at the Recode Code Conference, Woodman said: "It’s incredible to see our world from new perspectives. It’s a real ‘Oh my God’ moment. We did that with our GoPro cameras, and we see a similar opportunity in the quadcopter market. It’s something that’s in our DNA, and we are excited about it across the company.”
GoPro is aiming to get the drones launched in 2016, however the company will still work with other drone-makers, Woodman told Recode: “We recognize that consumers want choice. Our primary focus is enabling great content, and however they want to do that, we’re excited to be part of that.”
As for the VR headset, the firm has been experimenting with the technology for some time. Here's a 360 video shot with GoPro's – you can explore the 360 view with the click of a mouse, or swiping a finger on mobile.
The video shot with the GoPro and Spherical Array is designed to work on devices such as the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, Microsoft's HoloLens and Google's cardboard VR headset.
Oculus, which yesterday acquired small London startup Surreal Vision to boost its mapping capabilities, will cost at around $1,500 – just under £1,000 – chief executive Brendan Iribe said, also speaking at the same conference.
The tech conference, one of the industries highlights, also heard of IPO plans for Buzzfeed and Snapchat from their respective chiefs.