U.S. Department of Defense Adds Skydio X10D Drone To Blue UA (2024)

Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight, today announced that Skydio X10D has been added to the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Blue sUAS (small uncrewed aerial systems) Cleared List. This designation by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) recognizes Skydio X10D for its adherence to rigorous security standards and its capability to enhance operational effectiveness across various defense scenarios. With X10D on the BlueUAS list, procurement for government and defense entities is simplified and accelerated.

The DIU’s Blue UAS Cleared List underscores products that align with the U.S. government's stringent security and performance standards, ensuring that U.S. armed forces have access to the best technology without compromising operational security. The inclusion of X10D on this list validates DoD’s trust in Skydio's technology and gives agencies the Authority to Operate (ATO) the product.

“As the largest manufacturer of small drones in the United States, serving every branch of the U.S. military, the Blue UAS Cleared List is a critical distinction for Skydio X10D,” said Mark Valentine, President of Global Government at Skydio. “This represents an important step forward in providing secure, autonomous uncrewed aerial systems to more U.S. defense operations. "As the only domestic company producing dual-use drones at scale for both the enterprise and defense sectors, Skydio is proud to get the X10D into the hands of our service members, providing a critical combat capability in a time of growing global threats.”

Skydio X10D is the second generation of Skydio aircraft to qualify for the Blue UAS list, following Skydio X2D, demonstrating Skydio’s history of satisfying stringent cybersecurity requirements.

X10D builds on the technology foundation and customer experience generated by Skydio X2D, which serves as a core backbone of drone fleets for each of the major U.S. service branches and dozens of international ministries of defense. Skydio X10D meets or exceeds the rigorous requirements for defense applications. Providing all-domain, attritable autonomy through its computer vision platform, X10D is a critical tool for enhancing operational effectiveness and situational awareness across a variety of defense scenarios.

The Most Powerful sUAS for Night Operations
An optimal choice for stealth reconnaissance, X10D’s 48MP telephoto camera is capable of recognizing a person from 2400 ft away and a vehicle from 6500 ft away. It is the first drone to feature the Teledyne FLIR Boson+ sensor, the small drone industry’s most precise radiometric thermal camera, which has been tuned perfectly for ISR use day or night. With ATAK integration, RAS-A compliance and a compact, modular airframe, the X10D is integrated in systems that matter and is adaptable for any mission.

X10D also features Skydio NightSense, the world’s only onboard AI that supports autonomous flight in low- or no-light environments. NightSense allows operators to confidently fly at night, avoiding obstacles even in complete darkness. And with Blackout Mode, X10D’s lights are all turned off, ensuring it cannot be seen with the naked eye in the cover of night. With its powerful thermal camera, NightSense autonomous flight and Blackout Mode, Skydio X10 is the most capable Group 1 UAS for tactical night operations.

Skydio X10D is available for purchase through the General Services Administration (GSA) and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) schedules, further streamlining procurement processes for government and defense entities.