Skydio Remote Flight Deck Enables Drone-as-First-Responder (DFR) Public Safety Programs

SAN MATEO, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — October 11, 2023 — Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight technology, today announced Skydio Remote Flight Deck, a new offering that enables remote flight for Skydio X10 drones via a browser, anywhere over a cellular network. The solution offers a seamless handoff of flight control between local and remote pilots, allowing for fluid operations and uninterrupted situational awareness through live streaming. For the first time, operators can launch or control drones within their organization from virtually any location outdoors or indoors. This new capability allows the organizations on which our society depends - such as public safety, utilities, construction and transportation - to more easily realize the increased safety and efficiency made possible by remote drone operations.

When speed is of the essence, drones can significantly enhance response times and effectiveness in critical public safety scenarios, such as law enforcement operations, search and rescue missions, and fire fighting. As a leading public safety alliance recently confirmed, drones are delivering an impact across many law enforcement functions. The agility and speed of drones provide first responders swift access to real-time aerial views, aiding in quality and timely decision-making and resource allocation. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, drones streamline infrastructure inspections, offering a quick and efficient assessment of damage, helping prioritize recovery efforts and ensuring the safety of affected communities. With the introduction of the Skydio Remote Flight Deck, organizations can launch and operate drones faster than cars, helicopters or emergency vehicles - putting eyes on the incident before additional personnel arrive. In dangerous situations, a responding officer can set the drone down on the ground and have a remote pilot located anywhere take over flight and provide critical overwatch information, while the officer maintains local situational awareness.

Skydio Remote Flight Deck redefines the piloting experience by enabling drone missions from any corner of the globe using a web browser with Skydio’s recently revealed Skydio X10. Remote pilots can initiate flights effortlessly from drones ready for launch by local personnel, or take control of missions already in progress. Missions flown by Remote Flight Deck benefit from a near-infinite range with the 5G-connected X10 drone, with the only limiting factors being the drone's flight time, availability of the cellular network, and aviation regulatory approvals (which are becoming increasingly common, enabled by Skydio’s industry-leading Regulatory Services).

“We envision a world where drones become basic infrastructure. The Skydio X10 can be in every first responder’s vehicle, and with Remote Flight Deck, X10 can provide immediate situational awareness and support from a remote operator,” said Adam Bry, co-founder and CEO, Skydio. “For public safety agencies, this capability makes Drone as First Responder (DFR) available now, improving officer and community safety.”

Diverse Applications of Skydio Remote Flight Deck include:

Public Safety

• Enhanced Incident Response with Patrol-Led Drone as First Responder (DFR):
  • Enable responding officers to swiftly deploy drones in the field and seamlessly transfer control to a command center. Remote pilots can manage the flight, enhancing situational awareness and contributing to more informed tactical responses, providing greater safety for first responders and the community. See a live demonstration of Patrol-led DFR.
• Extended Coverage for Search and Rescue:
  • Amplify time-sensitive search and rescue operations by providing real-time, force-multiplying aerial support. First responders on the ground can launch a drone and resume search activities while remote pilots extend the search area with aerial perspectives, including heat-sensitive thermal imaging, increasing the speed and likelihood of locating missing persons. See a Tennessee county sheriff use a drone to save a missing person.

Infrastructure

• Streamlined Power Substation Inspection:
  • Accelerate substation inspections without the need for on-site pilots. Ground crews can activate drones at inspection sites and seamlessly transfer control to a remote pilot in an office, allowing field crews to focus on addressing issues and maintenance while inspections progress uninterrupted. See how one of America’s largest energy utilities is using remote flight and operations to conduct inspections.
• Efficient Bridge Inspections through Collaborative Efforts:
  • Optimize bridge inspections by providing remote inspectors and stakeholders with live drone footage. Utilizing a web browser, inspectors can fly the drone, ensuring they capture the precise view and data needed for confident decision-making while streamlining the inspection process. See one of world’s largest civil engineering firms more safely and efficiently inspect bridges with drones.

Key Features of Skydio Remote Flight Deck include:

• Pilot from a Web Browser:
  • Remote pilots can initiate and control flights using any connected computer with a web browser, ensuring complete visibility via live streaming for informed decision-making.
• Seamless Handoffs Between Pilots:
  • Control of the drone can be smoothly transitioned from the ground to remote pilots, ground to ground pilots, or remote to remote pilots, delivering operational efficiency and agility.
• Fly Complex Missions:
  • Remote Flight Deck, coupled with the Autonomy Engine, empowers pilots to confidently execute intricate missions--from hundreds or thousands of miles away, subject to civil aviation authority approvals, which are becoming increasingly common. The solution transcends the limitations of traditional GPS overhead point-to-point flights, allowing flights around buildings and obstacles to gather essential information.

About Skydio

Skydio is the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by enterprise and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in San Mateo, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain, manufacturing and data security. Skydio is trusted by leading enterprises across a wide range of industry sectors and is backed by top investors and strategic partners including Andreessen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA. For more information visit Skydio.com.

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Lauren Ames
skydio@aircoverpr.com