Well it has put Karma out of business. Would be interesting being in the Go Pro board room watching the Mavic release.
I have my doubts you will see Mavic
(weird name btw - Mavic is a French Bicycle wheel mfg) put Karma/GoPro out of business. IMO they are both built to suit specific needs and applications. Of course both are for the most part used for aerial filming and photos and lets face it - Go Pro has a pretty good camera and name as far as that goes.
Seriously when some say Mavic will be a Karma eliminator/killer - you truly have to consider the value you will receive for dollars spent also. I'd say Mavic was built to be a drone - no different than the intent of the Phantom line and has limitations the Karma does not have -
insofar as filming and photography go.
Go Pro's Karma is also a drone, with a serious option that includes a camera and gimbal that is capable of removal from the drone that can be used in different combinations - not limited to the drone only.
Now considering value for dollars spent.............
When comparing the pricing for both units (full package) - Karma has $1,099.00 usd package that includes the Drone, Controller, GoPro HERO5 Black Camera, on board Stabilizer Gimbal, a hand held Stabilizer Arm, Go Pro attachments and a carry case.
Then we have the Mavic which has the $1,299.00 usd loaded package which includes everything to include the controller a carry case and an additional battery.
If you want to compare
"apples to apples" with respect to the intent of both these units - in order for Mavic to have the same options for the camera alone that Karma provides, you would need the full load Mavic package + a 4k Camera and an Osmo which takes you into the $1,850.00 usd range. I think considering Karma offers all that in the $1,100.00 usd range should be something that will keep them in the market and competitive with Mavic. Especially when considering price and value point which is my intent here.
No doubt there will be some that will point out the "follow me" and other autonomous flight modes the Mavic has along with other Phantom inherited staples, longer battery life etc - but what I am attempting to do here is simply have people consider the intent of both units & dollars spent Vs value. They will both provide what we want as to filming and still photography and the thrill of flying a drone - I like to consider the value of one Vs the other, and thinking along those lines - I'd say the Karma offers more regarding same (
value).
I for one have both the P3A and a P4 - and love em. The addition of "obstacle avoidance" and "follow me" (
sort of does) etc on the P4 were great selling tools - however in my opinion and based on my own experience with the P4 especially - they are not IMO, deal makers or breakers when it comes to purchase of one.
Some of these points and others were made in an article I read somewhere and I cant remember where or by whom - however I will say I do agree when it comes to the value aspect and just like Mavic won't destroy the Phantom Line (as some say) - it won't destroy or eliminate the Karma either from the consumer market.