Video: Ottsjö, Sweden by Air and in Timelapse

We'll round out a busy week here at The Adventure Blog with a beautiful and tranquil video that was shot by drone over the Ottsjö region in Sweden. The landscapes captured there are nothing short of spectacular, and of course the Northern Lights are on full display at this time of year. This is three minutes of pure bliss, with some amazing footage of a stunning place. Sit back and enjoy as you head into the weekend.

OTTSJÖ - BY AIR AND TIMELAPSE (4K) from Marcus Möller on Vimeo.

Video: GoPro Hero 5 and Karma Drone Launch Video

A few weeks back GoPro announced the launch of its latest line of Hero cameras and its first ever drone – the Karma. What exactly do these new toys bring to the table for adventure filmmakers? Check out the launch video below to get a sense of what they offer. As you'll see, the image quality is stunning and the potential is limitless. The Hero 5 went on sale earlier this week, so if you want one you can grab it now. The Karma will be available on October 23. Interesting times indeed.

Adventure Tech: GoPro Delays Release of Karma Drone

It hasn't been a good year or so for GoPro. The action cam maker has seen a drop in sales, which is now hitting its bottomline in significant ways. Worse yet, one of the company's most anticipated new products – the Karma drone – has now been delayed.

Yesterday, GoPro announced its quarterly results, and to say that they were dire would be an understatement. The tech company saw its revenue drop by nearly 50%, and earnings plummeted from a $22 million profit for this quarter last year, to a $121 million loss this year. A major part of that swing was the company writing off older camera models that it discontinued.

But the news that is most disappointing fans of GoPro is the announcement that the release of the Karma has now been pushed back until the coming winter. It was originally expected to become available to consumers in the first half of 2016, but we'll now have to wait just a bit longer. And since winter doesn't technically start until December 21, it seems likely that the drone won't see the light of day until 2017.

In an effort to diversity its business, GoPro has been looking for other sources of revenue. The Karma is seen as one part of that plan, while investing heavily in virtual reality films is another. The camera maker has also revealed a special system designed to shoot 360º video in stunning 4k resolutions. But the current generation of VR is still in its infancy, and far from a sure bet, so it could be some time before these ventures start to turn around GoPro's fortunes.

Meanwhile, other companies continue to crank out new drones that are only becoming better and better. You have to wonder if the Karma will arrive a bit too late.

Video: A Drone's Eye View of Australia's Uluru

If there is one iconic image from Australia's outback that is famous the world over it is probably Uluru. This giant stone monolith rises above the surrounding landscape, etching an imposing profile against the horizon. It is a place that has been held scared by the Aboriginal people of that continent for thousands of years, and it is a wonder to behold. In this video we get a look at Uluru that we've seldom seen before – from the air. Shot using a drone, the images in this short clip are gorgeous and impressive. It's the next best thing to going to the Red Center to see it for yourself.

Video: Introducing the GoPro Karma

Last week, just before I left for my backpacking trip to Bryce Canyon, GoPro introduced its first drone, the Karma. I barely had enough time to share some thoughts on this new UAV before I skipped town, but this video does a great job of showing off what it can do. While it doesn't look like a revolution in drone technology, it does appear that it will be an affordable solution that has a lot to offer those looking to add a drone to their collection of gear. From what I've heard, the footage that it captures is quite good, and the fact that it can fold up and be easily transported makes it a good choice for use in remote locations. Looking forward to learning more about it in the days ahead. It should go on sale on October 23. Here's a sneak peek at what to expect.

Video: More Footage of the GoPro Karma in Action

We still don't know a whole lot about the GoPro Karma, the company's first entry into the drone market. We know it's coming sometime in 2016, and while those working on the drone are being somewhat coy, they have hinted that it'll operate unlike the traditional drones that we're use to so far. We'll just have to wait for GoPro to reveal more information in time, but for now we have another test flight video that was released yesterday. It purportedly shows footage shot using the UAV as it captures snowboarder Bobby Brown and some friends on the slopes. As with the first preview video, the images look clear, clean, and very stable. I can't wait to find out more.

Video: GoPro Invites Us to Meet the Karma Drone (Again!)

Yesterday was a big day for GoPro. That's because, after a three-month delay following a recall, it's much anticipated Karma drone has finally gone back on sale again. The Karma was unveiled last September, and then went on sale in October, only to be pulled from store shelves a few weeks later because of a design flaw that caused it to lose power mid-flight. That flaw has now been corrected, and the Karma is up and flying once again. In this video, we are reminded of what the Karma, when paired with a GoPro Hero 5 camera and the company's awesome new Karma Grip stabilizer are capable of. While it's true that GoPro has fallen on hard times a bit financially of late, their equipment is still top notch and easy to work with. Sure, this clip is essentially a commercial for that gear, but it is also an indication of what you can do with it when filming for your own projects.

Video: Drone Flight Over Antarctica

We've heard some rumors that visitors to Antarctica had taken drones with them this year to capture footage from above the frozen continent, but this is the first actual video I've seen so far. It was shot over Terra Nova Bay by Italian Enrico Sacchetti, who was visiting a research center there. The images offer us a vision of Antarctica that we don't see often and it gives us a glimpse of why so many adventurers are drawn to the place.

The Seventh Continent from enrico sacchetti on Vimeo.

Adventure Tech: GoPro Unveils the Karma Drone at Long Last

It seems like we've been waiting a very long time, but today GoPro finally took the wraps off of its highly anticipated Karma drone, giving would-be filmmakers yet another tool to help them create their outdoor and adventure travel masterpiece.

By now, we all know what a drone is, and how it can be used in a variety of ways. Over the past few years, the drone market has matured dramatically, with companies like DJI leading the way. But this is GoPro's first foray into UAV's, and in order for the company to make a dent in the industry – and possibly reverse its flagging fortunes – it knew that had to deliver something different and unique. Was the Karma worth the wait? We'll have to hold on a bit longer to know for sure, but it certainly is intriguing.

The Karma is a small, sleek looking quadcopter with a foldable design that makes it easy to transport. It comes with its own custom built controller, complete with a touchscreen built right in. The controller is said to be very beginner friendly, and the drone has a number of autonomous features that help to make it easy to fly. Still, it doesn't appear to have anything close to the level of independent control as something like the DJI Phantom 4, which is equipped with a host of sensors to allow it to safely navigate on its own without a pilot.

Being a camera company first and foremost, GoPro clearly put a lot of thought into capturing outstanding footage from its other devices. With that in mind, the Karma comes with a specially built 3-axis stabilizer designed to hold an action camera. This stabilizer can also be removed and attached to a new product called the Karma Grip, which can be mounted on a vehicle or held in your hand to get great, super-stable shots as well.


One area that the Karma may score big over its competition is in price. The drone on its own will retail for $799, which is a good price for something as small and transportable as this UAV. There will also be a $999 bundle that will include the new Hero5 Session camera, and a $1099 version that will come with the new Hero5 Black, both of which were announced today too. It isn't clear when the drone will be available for sale, but it is expected to hit the market in late October.

In terms of what these new cameras bring to the table, those looking to upgrade will have some intriguing incentives to do just that. The Hero5 Black comes equipped with 12MP sensors, voice control options, a 2" touchscreen, electronic image stabilization, 4K video at 30 fps, and possibly even GPS baked right in. Best of all, it is now waterproof without the need for an additional housing.  The smaller, more affordable Hero5 Session shares most of these same features, but has a 10MP sensor for photos and video instead. Both will ship on October 2.

Both cameras now have the ability to automatically upload video to the cloud for sharing and editing as well. This new service gives you access from just about any computer, smartphone, or tablet, but will require a subscription fee to use.

I'm looking forward to seeing how he Karma performs and get some reviews. It definitely looks intriguing. As for the new cameras, they received some nice upgrades, but appear to mostly be evolutionary steps. I'm sure they'll continue to perform up to GoPro's high standards.

Video: Flying a Drone Through a Crevasse

There is no question that personal drones have been one of the real game changers for filmmakers over the past few years, but now these small flying machines are starting to see use elsewhere. Aside from the idea of using drones to deliver packages, they are now being employed in a number of other interesting ways, including mountain rescue operations. In this video, we see an experimentation flight, during which a drone was flown into a crevasse to explore the ways it could be used to search for missing climbers or skiers. The test footage was shot by a company called Flyability, who was working in conjunction with the mountain rescue team in Zermatt, Switzerland. As you'll see, there are still some fine control aspects that need to be worked out, but the drone does indeed give us an inside view of the crevasse itself.

Video: Drones Over Peru

The stunning and diverse landscapes of Peru are on display in this video, which was shot using a drone to get some of the best vantage points possible. In the short clip you'll see mountain, canyons, deserts, and other spectacular vistas. If you're needing an escape from the daily grind today, sit back and enjoy this clip. It is four minutes of bliss.

High Above Peru from Andreas Giesen on Vimeo.

Video: Drones Capture Close Encounter with Whales

It is tough to top last week's video in which a curious whale approached a passing boat, providing some spectacular footage of a humpback that was very up close and personal. But, this clip will come very close as it was shot in the South Pacific near the islands of New Caledonia. Using a drone, the crew of this ship were able to capture not only the incredibly deep blue ocean waters found there, but also several whales that once again wandered up to their boat. It is a truly amazing scene to behold and one that I think you'll find as enchanting as I did.

Video: K2 By Drone!

There is no question that K2 is amongst the most dangerous and difficult mountains to climb on the entire planet. It also happens to be located in a remote and beautiful place that most of us won't have the opportunity to see for ourselves. But, thanks to this wonderful short film, you can make the journey, and get some stunning images of the landscapes around the mountain too. It was shot by drone pilot and filmmaker Petr Jan Juračka, who traveled to K2 with Czech climber Klára Kolouchová. The results speak for themselves. Check out the clip below to get a look at this incredible place.

Men's Journal Has 25 Gifts for the Adventurous Dad

It's nearly June, which means Father's Day is just around the corner. If you're looking for the perfect gift for dad this year, Men's Journal is here to help. They've created a list of 25 gifts for the adventurous dad in your life with some great suggestions that even those of us who aren't dad's can appreciate.

Some of the items that make MJ's list include the Timex Expedition Scout watch, which blends classic good looks with modern sensibilities, and the Sony Cyber-Shot RX100 II, which is widely considered to be the best point and shoot camera on the market today. You'll also find a drone, an inflatable stand-up paddleboard, and an awesome camp stove from BioLite.

There really is something for just about every kind of dad on this list. Whether they're a hardcore outdoor nut, gadget enthusiast, or aspiring athlete, you'll find some cool suggestions for gifts for your father too. Best of all, most of the items are fairly affordably too, so you won't have to break the bank to find the right gift either.

Father's Day is still a few weeks off, but it's a good time to start planning. Check out the entire list here.