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Skydio lands record $52 million drone order from US military – its 3,000 ‘hunter’ drones have six cameras and can fly autonomously in complete darkness
- The US Army ordered nearly 3,000 Skydio X10D drones in a $52 million contract, the largest single-vendor drone order in US history.
- Skydio X10D is designed as a hunter drone with six cameras and terrain mapping to navigate even when GPS is jammed.
- The deal signals momentum for Skydio as the US government excludes Chinese-made drones from military procurement.
- The X10D includes 48MP telephoto, 50MP wide, 64MP narrow cameras and the first thermal system on a small military drone.
- The contract underscores concerns about DJI and Chinese-made drones in US defense procurement.
- Skydio plans to scale production, with capacity to deliver 3,000 drones within a few months.
- The Pentagon has previously signaled interest in swarms and AI-enabled drones, influencing US drone policy.
- The order highlights how fast military procurement can move under urgent conditions.
- The US Army aims to enhance battlefield reconnaissance and targeting with Skydio’s X10D system.
- The deal is part of a broader shift away from DJI in US defense networks.
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