Engineering:Skydio X10

From HandWiki
Short description: American camera drone
X10
Skydio X10 in flight
General information
TypeCamera drone
National originUnited States
ManufacturerSkydio
AeroArc
Management and usageUnited States Army
Spanish Army
History
Manufactured2023–present
Introduction dateSeptember 2023

The Skydio X10 is an American teleoperated compact quadcopter drone produced by Skydio. Introduced in September 2023, the X10 is intended for both military and civilian use and has also been produced in India by AeroArc.

Design and development

The Skydio X10 was announced in September 2023.[1] The drone is a quadcopter with a folding design which, according to Skydio, can be made flight ready from a backpack in 40 seconds.[2] The X10's name derives from the drone's computing power being improved tenfold compared to its predecessor, the Skydio X2.[3] The X10 also has an IP55 protection rating, a "NightSense" zero-light autonomous flight system, and can be controlled using a 5G cellular connection, giving it a theoretically infinite range.[3][4][5] Like the X2, the X10 was originally released in two variants; the X10 for civilian users and the X10D for military and government use.[2] Unlike the baseline X10, the X10D is equipped with a multi-band radio, allowing it to operate in contested environments.[2]

The drone was initially released with two interchangeable camera options; the VT300-Z and VT300-L.[6] The VT300-Z features a 48-megapixel telephoto zoom camera, a 64MP narrow-angle camera, and a 640×512 Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal camera.[3][6][7] The VT300-L, intended for low-light operations, swaps the telephoto zoom camera for a 50MP wide-angle camera with a 1-inch sensor and adds a 2800-lumen flashlight.[6][7] A third option, the VT100-L, was released later with the flashlight, wide-angle, and narrow-angle cameras of the VT300-L, but without the thermal camera.[7]

Variants

X10
Baseline variant for enterprise and first responder users with an IP55 protection rating, "NightSense" autonomous flight system, and a 5G cellular connection.[3][4][5] Released in the following versions:
  • Model SR47PI and SR47PCI: Equipped with the visible light version of the NightSense system.[8][9]
  • Model SR47PV and SR47PCV: Equipped with the infrared light version of the NightSense system.[8][9]
  • Model SR47PC9V: FirstNet-capable variant of the X10.[10]
X10D
Militarized variant with a multi-band radio.[2]
Trishul
Variant of the X10 series produced in India by AeroArc.[11]

Operators

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with a Skydio X10D during the announcement of Executive Order 14307.

Government operators

 United States
  • The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department acquired the X10 to replace its X2 fleet in 2024, which was determined to be inadequate for the LVMPD's needs.[12] Skydio first proposed the X10 to the LVMPD chief in 2023. The proposal was immediately forwarded to Ben Horowitz, who subsequently donated money to purchase the drones. Horowitz's involvement in the deal, and his donations to the LVMPD as a whole, caused caused controversy as critics stated they bypassed normal equipment procurement processes and lacked transparency.[12][13]

Military operators

 Philippines
The X10 was among the several drone models donated to the Philippine Coast Guard by Australian government in April 2025 for use in the West Philippine Sea.[14]
 Spain
  • The Ministry of Defence chose the X10D in February 2025 for use by the Spanish Army.[15][16]
 United States
  • The United States Army introduced the X10D in January 2025 as a replacement for its RQ-28A (Tri-Service designation of the Skydio X2D).[17][18] On June 25, 2025, the 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted the Army's first grenade drop from a UAV using an X10D at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, having been inspired by similar tactics used by Ukraine in its war with Russia.[19]

Specifications (Skydio X10 with VT300-L)

Aerial photo of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse during its 2024 restoration, taken with a Skydio X10.

Data from Skydio X10 operator manual[8]

General characteristics

  • Length: 2 ft 1.6 in (0.650 m)
  • Width: 2 ft 7.1 in (0.790 m)
  • Empty weight: 4.65 lb (2.11 kg) without 5G module, with battery
  • Max takeoff weight: 5.49 lb (2.49 kg)
  • Battery capacity: 18.55V 8419 mAh (156.17Wh)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 45 mph (72 km/h, 39 kn) at sea level
  • Range: 7.5 mi (12 km, 6.5 nmi) (wireless range)
  • Endurance: 40 minutes
  • Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m) without payload
  • Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6 m/s)
  • Maximum wind resistance: 28 mph (46.1 km/h)
  • Operating temperature: -4°F (-20°C) to 113°F (45°C)

Avionics

  • Cameras:
  • 50.3MP 1" CMOS wide-angle camera
  • 64MP 1/1.7" CMOS narrow-angle camera
  • 640×512 Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal camera

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

  1. ↑ "Skydio X10 and the Next Chapter of Drones in Critical Industries" (in en-us). 2023-09-20. https://www.skydio.com/blog/introducing-X10/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Skydio unveils new Skydio X10 drone" (in en). https://www.commercialuavnews.com/public-safety/skydio-x10-ascend-extend-drone-as-first-responder-infrastructure-inspection. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Singh, Ishveena (September 20, 2023). "Skydio launches X10 drone with three cameras, dramatically advanced AI". https://dronedj.com/2023/09/20/skydio-new-x10-drone-camera/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Skydio Delivers a Breakthrough for Enterprise Drones with the Launch of Skydio X10". September 20, 2023. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230920890194/en/Skydio-Delivers-a-Breakthrough-for-Enterprise-Drones-with-the-Launch-of-Skydio-X10. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Schneider, Jaron (2023-09-20). "Skydio's New X10 Drone Looks Amazing, But You Can't Buy It" (in en). https://petapixel.com/2023/09/20/skydios-new-x10-drone-looks-amazing-but-you-cant-buy-it/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Skydio X10 Hands On First Look - A Huge Upgrade" (in en-US). 2023-09-22. https://dronexl.co/2023/09/22/skydio-x10-hands-on-first-look/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Comparing Skydio X10 sensor packages for 3D Scan" (in en-US). 2024-05-20. https://support.skydio.com/hc/en-us/articles/25903687581723-Comparing-Skydio-X10-sensor-packages-for-3D-Scan. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Skydio X10 operator manual (Asimov 39.237). Skydio. May 29, 2025. pp. 209–219. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Getting Started with NightSense for Skydio X10" (in en-US). 2024-05-27. https://support.skydio.com/hc/en-us/articles/26084250806555-Getting-Started-with-NightSense-for-Skydio-X10. 
  10. ↑ "Approved FirstNet Devices". June 27, 2025. https://www.firstnet.com/content/dam/firstnet/white-papers/firstnet-certified-devices.pdf. 
  11. ↑ 株式会社インプレス (2024-07-02). "Vol.2 安全保障を追い風に躍進を続けるSkydio" (in ja). https://drone-journal.impress.co.jp/docs/series/column20230829-01/1186291.html. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Private Money Shapes Vegas Police Drone Program: Skydio's $7.6M Deal Raises Questions" (in en-US). 2024-11-11. https://dronexl.co/2024/11/11/private-money-shapes-vegas-police-drone-program-skydio/. 
  13. ↑ O'Kane, Sean; MacColl, Margaux (2024-11-08). "Ben Horowitz’s cozy relationship with the Las Vegas Police Department aided a16z portfolio company Skydio" (in en-US). https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/08/ben-horowitzs-cozy-relationship-with-the-las-vegas-police-department-aided-a16z-portfolio-company-skydio/. 
  14. ↑ "Australia boosts Philippines’ South China Sea defence with 20 drones" (in en). 2025-04-09. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3305816/australias-drone-donation-boosts-philippines-maritime-needs-amid-south-china-sea-tensions. 
  15. ↑ Kurkowski, Seth (2025-03-01). "Spain chooses Skydio to outfit its military in €18 million deal" (in en-US). https://dronedj.com/2025/03/01/spain-chooses-skydio-to-outfit-its-military-in-e18-million-deal/. 
  16. ↑ "Spain’s MoD selects Skydio X10D autonomous Drones in €18 million initial tender – SatNews". https://news.satnews.com/2025/02/27/spains-mod-selects-skydio-x10d-autonomous-drones-in-e18-million-initial-tender/. 
  17. ↑ "Skydio's Advanced Drone Development For US Army's RQ-28A Replacement" (in en-US). 2024-01-12. https://dronexl.co/2024/01/12/skydios-drone-us-armys-rq-28a-replacement/. 
  18. ↑ McFadden, Christopher. "US Army delivers tiny ‘rucksack-portable’ drones for faster spy ops" (in en). https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-army-delivers-tiny-rucksack-portable-drones. 
  19. ↑ "U.S. Army Drops Combat Grenade from Drone for First Time After Years of Development | Defense Express" (in en). https://en.defence-ua.com/news/us_army_drops_combat_grenade_from_drone_for_first_time_after_years_of_development-15026.html. 

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