| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the GPS glitch affecting GoPro Karma drones is an example of a recurring issue within the same organization. The article mentions that shortly after the Karma drones were launched, some owners complained about them losing power mid-flight, causing the drones to plummet uncontrollably to the ground. This led to GoPro issuing a global recall for the Karma drone in February 2017 while trying to address the issue. Additionally, in January 2018, GoPro announced its intention to exit the drone business after facing challenges with the Karma drone and laid off staff who worked on it [94356].
(b) The article does not provide information about similar incidents happening at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article. The issue with GoPro Karma drones being grounded due to a technical glitch related to GPS is attributed to a software problem. Specifically, the problem is linked to the recent GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon, which occurs every 1,024 weeks. The software needed to be programmed to anticipate this rollover to zero weeks, or else it may stop working. The article mentions that most tech firms have averted problems with software updates over the last few months, but GoPro had not updated Karma's software since September 2018, leading to the issue [94356].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also highlighted in the article. GoPro Karma owners started complaining about the issue with compass calibration, where the calibration failed due to not being able to pick up the drone and start calibrating within the required time. This issue was preventing owners from using the drones effectively. One owner mentioned the problem with compass calibration and the inability to calibrate the compass without a GPS signal, indicating an operational issue affecting the functionality of the drones [94356]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident with the GoPro Karma drones was within the system. The issue was GPS-related, specifically linked to the recent GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon. The software needed to be programmed to anticipate the rollover to zero weeks, otherwise, it may stop working. GoPro acknowledged the issue, identified the cause, and was working on implementing a fix through a firmware update for the Karma drones [94356]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the GoPro Karma drones was related to a GPS glitch that prevented the drones from starting. This issue was identified as being GPS-related and was linked to the GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon, which occurs every 1,024 weeks. The failure was due to a technical glitch in the software that needed to be addressed through a firmware update [94356].
(b) The failure to update the software in the GoPro Karma drones since September 2018 contributed to the issue not being resolved in a timely manner. The lack of software updates meant that the drones were not programmed to anticipate the GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon, leading to the failure. Additionally, the decision by GoPro to discontinue the drone in 2018 and exit the drone business further impacted the resolution of the software issue [94356]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article mentions that the issue with GoPro Karma drones being grounded was GPS-related, indicating a hardware-related problem [94356].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident was specifically linked to a recent GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon, which is a software-related issue that occurs once every 1,024 weeks [94356].
- GoPro acknowledged the software issue and mentioned that they were in the process of implementing and testing a fix through a firmware update for the Karma drones [94356]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the GoPro Karma drones was non-malicious. The issue was GPS-related and prevented the drones from starting, which was attributed to a technical glitch linked to the GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon. This phenomenon happens once every 1,024 weeks, and software needs to be programmed to anticipate it to avoid issues. GoPro identified the cause of the issue and was working on implementing a fix through a firmware update to address the problem [94356]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the GoPro Karma drones being grounded was not due to poor decisions but rather a technical glitch related to GPS, specifically linked to the GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon. The issue was not caused by poor decisions but rather by the software not being programmed to anticipate the rollover to zero weeks, which led to the drones not starting [94356]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of the GoPro Karma drones. The issue was GPS-related, specifically linked to the GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon. The article mentions that the majority of tech firms had averted problems with software updates related to this phenomenon over the last few months, but GoPro had not updated Karma's software since September 2018 [94356].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is seen in the case of the GoPro Karma drones as well. The issue with the GPS glitch preventing the drones from starting was not intentional but rather a result of the GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon that occurs every 1,024 weeks. This issue was not caused deliberately but rather accidentally due to the lack of anticipation of the rollover in the software programming [94356]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the GoPro Karma drones being grounded due to a GPS glitch was temporary. The issue was specifically related to a GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon that occurs every 1,024 weeks, or approximately every 19.7 years. This indicates that the failure was due to a specific circumstance related to the GPS clock rollover and not a permanent issue introduced by all circumstances [94356]. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the GoPro Karma drones was not a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The issue was GPS-related and prevented the camera-carrying drones from starting, indicating a specific failure point rather than a complete system crash [94356].
(b) omission: The software failure incident did not involve the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, the issue was specifically related to a GPS glitch that prevented the drones from starting, indicating a specific functionality failure rather than an omission [94356].
(c) timing: The software failure incident was not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The issue was specifically linked to a GPS clock "rollover" phenomenon, which affected the functionality of the drones [94356].
(d) value: The software failure incident was not due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The issue was related to a GPS glitch that prevented the drones from starting, indicating a functionality failure rather than incorrect performance [94356].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident was not characterized by the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The issue with the GoPro Karma drones was specifically identified as a GPS-related glitch that prevented the drones from starting, indicating a specific failure point rather than inconsistent behavior [94356].
(f) other: The software failure incident with the GoPro Karma drones can be categorized as a failure due to a specific technical glitch related to GPS functionality. The issue was identified, and GoPro was working on implementing a fix through a firmware update to address the problem, indicating a specific technical fault rather than a general system behavior issue [94356]. |