The US Army has secured a significant partnership with drone manufacturer Skydio, awarding them a $7.9-million contract aimed at enhancing tactical reconnaissance capabilities. This contract pertains to the Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Tranche 2 program, through which Skydio will provide additional units of their X10D small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), along with essential support and training for their deployment in frontline missions.
This recent agreement builds upon Skydio’s previous involvement in Tranche 1 of the SRR program, reflecting the Army’s ongoing commitment to introducing agile, easily deployable drones into their operational framework. The inclusion of the X10D systems marks a strategic advancement in the Army’s effort to ensure that soldiers have access to responsive reconnaissance solutions.
Manufactured exclusively in California, the X10D drone is designed for rapid deployment with capabilities for vertical takeoff and landing, offering a fully autonomous flight experience. This functionality proves vital for dismounted soldiers as they navigate unfamiliar terrain, identify potential threats, and relay critical imagery in real-time. The design prioritizes both portability and durability, making it versatile for operations in contested environments.
Equipped with a sophisticated sensor suite, including a 48-megapixel telephoto camera and a Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal sensor, the X10D excels in detecting subtle temperature variations. This feature enhances its utility in surveillance operations, allowing for precise intelligence-gathering under various conditions.
Skydio emphasizes the onboard artificial intelligence capabilities that enable the drone to execute visual navigation and obstacle avoidance from all directions. Notably, the X10D maintains its positional awareness, even when subjected to electronic warfare tactics that jam or degrade GPS signals.
The X10D is constructed on a modular and open platform, which allows for the integration of third-party attachments and controllers, thus offering mission flexibility based on operational needs. Additionally, it boasts chip-level security measures, safeguarding data integrity from the firmware level up.
The SRR program represents a comprehensive initiative by the US Army to procure a diverse array of small, robust drones tailored for near-field reconnaissance operations. The program aims to address a capability gap that exists between hand-launched micro-unmanned aerial vehicles and more extensive, longer-range systems.
The SRR initiative is organized into multiple tranches, with Tranche 1 already seeing bids from various manufacturers. Tranche 2 aims to continue these endeavors through further procurement and support contracts. Other vendors, including Red Cat, have also been contracted under the SRR program to provide alternative sUAS platforms for evaluation, along with comprehensive training, sustainment, software updates, and integration solutions with command-and-control systems.
