The Skydio X10D is a next‑generation nano‑class small uncrewed aircraft system (sUAS) designed for complex tactical environments.
Developed by autonomous drone manufacturer Skydio, the sUAS is optimised for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions that are critical to defence and government agencies.
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Skydio X10D, which began shipping to customers in 2024, is claimed to provide electronic-warfare resilience and enhance survivability on the most demanding battlefields.
The sUAS is part of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Blue UAS Cleared List, which contains approved drones that meet the US government’s cybersecurity, data privacy and operational reliability standards.
Skydio X10D design and features
The Skydio X10D drone measures 79cm × 65cm × 14.5cm with its propellers unfolded, while in its stowed configuration without the battery, dimensions reduce to 35.05cm × 16.51cm × 11.94cm.
The Connect SL version of the system, including batteries, weighs 2.11kg, while the Connect MH configuration weighs 2.14kg.
The sUAS has a maximum take‑off weight of 2.49kg and is IP55 certified against dust and water for almost all-weather operation. It is equipped with an 8419mAh rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery.
The platform features four attachment bays, ready for additional payloads.
The system is equipped with enhanced AI flight assistance and obstacle avoidance, which reduces operator workload and cuts training time compared with traditional drones.
The system meets RAS‑A standards and uses an open MAVLINK interface that supports third‑party and government‑owned flight application software. It also features modular connector ports, enabling operators to change attachments quickly in the field.
Skydio X10D sUAS controller details
The Skydio X10D controller measures 26.7cm × 12.7cm × 7.62cm and weighs approximately 1,135g. It features a 6.6in Dynamic AMOLED touchscreen with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and a resolution of 2,340 × 1,080 pixels.
The display offers peak outdoor brightness of 1,750 nits and a pixel density of 392ppi.
A 9,600mAh battery powers the device for an estimated five hours of operation.
The unit has an IP54 ingress protection rating and supports multi‑constellation Global navigation satellite system, including GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou.
The Skydio X10D can also be operated using third‑party controllers.
Payload
Skydio X10D is the first small UAS to integrate a Teledyne FLIR Boson+ sensor, providing high‑quality thermal imaging.
With thermal resolutions up to 640 × 512 and sensitivity down to ≤30mK, the X10D offers more accurate radiometric readings.
The drone’s VT300‑Z and VT300‑L sensor suites deliver high‑precision angular vibration measurement with a sensitivity of ±0.01°.
The Skydio X10D includes a telephoto camera with a 0.5in, 48‑megapixel CMOS sensor, providing a 13° diagonal field of view.
The wide‑angle camera uses a 1in, 50.3‑megapixel CMOS sensor with an 8mm focal length, delivering a 93° diagonal field of view.
The narrow‑field camera is fitted with a 1/1.7in 64‑megapixel CMOS sensor and an effective focal length of 10mm, offering a 50° diagonal field of view.
The drone features six custom‑designed navigation cameras in a trinocular arrangement, with three mounted on the upper surface and three on the lower surface, delivering 360° visibility and eliminating blind spots for confident flight.
Each camera uses a Samsung 1/2.8in 32 MP colour CMOS sensor with a 200° diagonal field of view and detects obstacles out to 20m.
Skydio X10D performance
The Skydio X10D’s maximum radio range depends on the chosen link, with Connect SL offering up to 12km, while Connect MH provides up to 10km.
It achieves start‑up in under 40 seconds and reaches speeds of up to 72.4km/h.
Mission capabilities
Skydio X10D, similar to its predecessor Skydio X2D, is capable of autonomous navigation and can return in GPS-denied scenarios by using Anchor Points, which place visual references onto the map.
It can place an entire operations area in focus for mission coordination using onboard cameras and can observe a target (personnel) from up to 1km to identify hostile activities or threats.
The system determines precise points of interest with Crosshair Coordinates, tracks persons of interest with subject tracking, and provides mobile overwatch using Scout.
It can detect temperature differences even on hot days and identify a person on warm concrete in complete darkness.
The drone preserves connectivity even when GPS and communications are jammed and ensures mission success by dynamically changing frequencies via a robust multiband radio.
It also demonstrates improved survivability in GNSS-denied or spoofed conditions by employing visual inertial odometry (VIO) that functions at high altitudes.
Powerful onboard computing accelerates and improves the accuracy of the drone’s core tasks.
The platform can also construct 2D maps and 3D models onboard in real time, removing the need for additional processing systems.
Orders and deliveries
In August 2025, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) selected Skydio, alongside its European partner COBBS BELUX BV, under a new agreement to supply and support small ISR drones for NATO member nations within the Uncrewed Aerial Systems Support Partnership.
COBBS BELUX BV will manage sales, distribution, training and lifecycle support for the Skydio platform across Europe, in close coordination with Skydio to ensure responsive, locally delivered capability.
In July 2025, Skydio secured an initial tender valued at $9.4m to supply autonomous sUAS to the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence.
In partnership with Oskar Pedersen, a Norwegian defence and security supplier, the company has begun delivering X10D systems to the Norwegian Armed Forces.
In May 2025, Skydio announced fulfilment of the first order under the US Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Tranche 2 programme, with delivery of X10D sUAS.
Skydio was awarded a contract from Spain’s Ministry of Defence (MINISDEF) to supply autonomous small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) technology to the Spanish Armed Forces in February 2025.
Working in partnership with Paukner Group, a Spanish defence and security product distributor, Skydio will deliver Skydio X10D drones under a contract worth up to $18.7m.