GoPro: Innovation for Adventure

Here's the thing. You can wear ituring deep sea dives, daring ski stunts and even when youump out of an airplane. Because the hottest accessory in the world of extreme sports comes in a very small... See More

Here's the thing. You can wear ituring deep sea dives, daring ski stunts and even when youump out of an airplane. Because the hottest accessory in the world of extreme sports comes in a very small package. It's called go pro and the tiny camera that's capturing some of the most jaw dropping action shots that the world recorded. It all started with a surfer dude and one bright idea. Here's matt gutman. Reporter: With the launch of this skip comes a secret high tech ope the coast of nicaragua. The guys paddling on their surf boards are the brain trust behind a camera company called go pro. Testing their newest generation of cameras in a surfer's paradise. Even you've never heard of go pro, you definitely have seen the impossible angles. The p.O.V. Of the death defying. The visceral intensity of impact. Hole litty cow! Reporter: And the serenity of a robot lofted into space. Continues to blow our minds that go pro is what it is today. Reporter: For company founder nick goodman, the journey began on a surf board in 2002. The original goal for go pro was to produce a camera that the average surfer could use to capture themselves while they were surfing. Reporter: And now, eight years later, woodman and his old surfing buddies that happen to be the cheap's top officer, like brad schmidt, took "nightline" on a four-day r&d road trip in nicarag nicaragua. Does anybody ever say, you have the best gig in the world? All the time. But I think he has the best gig in the world. Reporter: He might. I mean, look at him. Reporter: Smiling. He looks really stressed out to me. Look at this guy. And they have a lot to smile about. Go prois now the world's best selling small camera. 3 million sold since 2009. Success you could arguably credit to the hordes of bruised and uncaged stuntmen out there, trying to live up to the product's name. Hero. You see, the vast majority of go pro videos out there are user generated. Youtube has helped make go pro what it is today. Facebook, also. Our customers going out and capturing interesting footage with it and sharing it online is really what's driving go pro's growth. It's a virally grown brand in the hands of our customers. It's awesome. Reporter: Since 2009, the company has grown from seven employees to nearly 300 and signed some of the country's most famous athletes, including shaun white and kelly slater. But the camera, which costs up to $400, as become much more than a gizmo for self-admiring surfers. You think about how much television we watch, how many movies or mag sheens you read about your favorite sports or celebrities or what not. Then think about the footage you've seen about yourself of you doing what you love to do the most. Go pro makes it possible for people to have professional footage of their life. This is for the new ac ac-3. Trying to get the camera so small, it's like -- oh! Reporter: They wouldn't test them in the u.S., Dfaring that someone might snatch a pro poe type. While this is about research and development, it's a victory lap on surf boards. This video here is the raw footage from their first test in the open water. Even when the surf isn't cooperating -- you can't surf that. Too messy. Reporter: These guys never miss are chance to test the new camera. Slam it right by the camera. Reporter: That kind of levity -- oh, my god. Me filming you filming me filming you. Reporter: It seems to be go pro's m.O. It's a tough job you have. It's terrible. Reporter: Cervesa during work. No thank you. Two more me. Reporter: Brad schmittle is often the first to get his hands on go pro's biggest innovation. Products they lovingly design but don't sell, like this matrix-like array and this waist belt. I think they'll really like it. Reporter: As if there's a camera man following you all the time. Isn't that cool? Reporter: Really cool. Report That's nick walking towards the surf while we load up the boat to meet him and the guys as they swim out from shore. Diving into the water -- the real experiment begins. Testing and tweaking. Their latest invention, like mad scientist surfers. And in the water, they're transformed from a gaggle of high tech execs to a bunch of dudes, reveling in their own hero moment. I'm matt gutman for "nightline", going pro in nicaragua.