sUAS platform

Skydio Nears Completion of Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance Drone Program

San Mateo, California-based drone maker Skydio has announced its advancement to the last phase of the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance Tranche 2 program, under which it aims to deliver the X10D small unmanned aerial system.

Through SRR, the service branch aims to acquire a rapidly deployable sUAS solution for reconnaissance and surveillance, Skydio said Wednesday.

The Army designated Skydio as the program’s solution provider of record with a potential five-year, $99.8 million other transaction agreement in 2021.

According to Skydio, the X10D has NightSense functionality, allowing it to avoid obstacles autonomously in zero-light conditions. It is also the first sUAS to come with a forward-looking infrared Boson+ sensor to capture high-quality thermal images and radiometric readings, the company added.

Mark Valentine, Skydio’s president of global government, noted that many government agencies and international allies have ordered the X10D.

In a press release, Skydio noted that the sUAS is built on an open, modular platform and complies with federal standards such as the Robotics and Autonomous Systems – Air Interoperability Profile.