GoPro recalls drone after power failure

Action camera firm GoPro has recalled its new drone after reports of power failures.

The company said there had been a “small number of cases” of the drone malfunctioning during flight.

GoPro said it would rectify the problem and put the Karma drone back on sale once the issue was resolved. Anyone who has bought the $799 (£646) drone can get a full refund, it said.

GoPro launched the Karma in September along with two new cameras.

The cameras are not affected by the recall, the company said on Tuesday.

GoPro issued the recall notice just as polls began to close in the US presidential election - giving rise to accusations the company was seeking to bury the news.

Instructions for people who bought the drone have been posted on the GoPro website.

GoPro boss Nick Woodman had high hopes for the drone when it launched.

“These products are the best products we’ve ever made,” he told the BBC in September.

He needs the products to reverse the recent fortunes of the company he founded.

More competitive rivals such as DJI, as well as a trend of people using their smartphones to take pictures rather than buying cameras, has seen GoPro’s shares slump over the past year.

In its latest earnings report, published at the beginning of November, the company posted a loss of $84m.

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