GoPro launches GoPro Hero10 Black Bones, an ultra-light 5K action cam for FPV drones
You see them regularly on DroneXL, those ultra-smooth FPV drone videos, whether or not they are recorded indoors. Ten to one that they were made with a ‘naked GoPro'.
A naked GoPro is one that has been stripped of its housing and battery, in order to make the camera as light as possible. From now on, that hassle is no longer necessary thanks to the new GoPro Hero10 Black Bones, which has been specially developed for use in combination with FPV drones.
GoPro Hero10 Black Bones: Lightest GoPro ever
The Bones is essentially the same camera as the Hero10 Black – including the same image quality, frame rates, and GP2 processor as the driving force behind HyperSmooth 4.0 stabilization technology – but packed into a small, thin, and lightweight body designed specifically for use on Cinewhoops and FPV racing drones.
Weighing 54 grams, the new camera is significantly lighter than the Hero10 Black, which weighs 150 grams. This makes it the lightest GoPro ever made. As such, GoPro says the Bones lends itself perfectly to shooting FPV. According to GoPro, the camera is ideal for FPV Drones from 3″.
The weight saving was achieved by omitting the waterproof and dustproof construction of the Hero10 Black along with the heat dissipation. Instead, the GoPro Hero10 Black Bones takes advantage of the airflow inherent in flying a drone to keep the electronics from overheating.
According to GoPro, the camera can therefore make long-term video recordings with a high resolution and a high frame rate. The battery was also sacrificed. Instead, power is drawn from the drone battery.
“GoPro Hero10 Black Bones is an important step in our strategy to leverage GoPro's core camera technology as the basis for derivative products that address the needs of a specific customer audience,” said GoPro Founder and CEO, Nick Woodman. “Bones delivers HERO10 Black image quality and performance in a lightweight body ideal for aerial shooting.”
Filming in 5K
The GoPro Hero10 Black Bones can capture 5K video in 4:3 aspect ratio at 30 frames per second, 4K 4:3 aspect ratio video at 60 frames per second, and 2.7K 4:3 aspect ratio video at 120 frames per second. The camera comes with a license for GoPro's ReelSteady video stabilization – which is now part of the new GoPro Player and ReelSteady desktop application – to allow FPV drone pilots to capture extremely smooth, fast video footage.
The camera can be operated in several ways: with the two physical buttons on the camera, the Quik app, the QR codes from GoPro Labs, the GoPro remote control, or through the controller of a drone. The action cam can be mounted on a drone using GoPro's well-known screw connection and comes with an optional adapter for the GoPro mounting system. GoPro says it uses an industry-standard FPV connector that allows the camera to quickly connect to a variety of FPV drones. Thanks to a voltage regulator, the Bones works flawlessly with 2S to 6S lipos.
Should the drone crash, it is good to know that the lens of the camera is replaceable. According to GoPro, the camera is compatible with existing Hero9 and Hero10 ND Filters.
Price and availability
The Hero10 Black Bones will initially only be available in the United States on GoPro.com for $349 with a one-year GoPro subscription right away, or $499 without a subscription. A license for ReelSteady, which comes with HERO10 Black Bones, is also available separately for $99.
This article first appeared on Dronewatch and is written by Wiebe de Jager who is also a DroneXL contributor.
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