4/11/2023 0 Comments Skydio droneSkydio has developed specific software called 3D Scan where operators specify the area or volume to inspect, pick a desired imaging resolution, and the AI-powered Skydio 3D Scan does the rest, autonomously imaging all surfaces by dynamically building a real-time map as the drone flies. Industrial drones represent another growth market where unmanned aircraft survey things like bridges or wind turbines. ![]() Why spend millions on a helicopter – about $2.4 million for an LAPD model, not including the $600 per hour cost of operation – when you can accomplish the same mission with an autonomous drone? Drones are also sneakier quieter than manned aircraft and usually don’t kill anyone when they crash. Public safety and autonomous surveillance is a fast-growing market if you’ve been watching the news lately. The X2E is the enterprise model with two major applications – situational awareness for public safety and security and infrastructure inspection. The X2D is for military applications, such as reconnaissance, search and rescue, and security. The Skydio X2 is the company’s first commercial product line with two models. New Market Opportunities for Skydio Drones And that’s exactly the value proposition. In fact, Skydio emphasizes that users are more like managers than pilots. Skydio is making the case that its AI can take human error out of the equation, and companies and organizations are by nature risk averse. Autonomy, Skydio contends, can reduce total cost of ownership by up to 40% by cutting training costs and the number of pilots needed. It also claims that hiring, training, and retaining qualified pilots consumes up to 80% of a drone program budget. ![]() It says more than half of 100 enterprise companies surveyed listed risk of crash as their primary concern. Skydio’s strategy is to play up the risks and costs of manual drones to its customers’ upper management or leadership. The company’s new chief operating officer ( COO) talked about how it would win market share through its software: “Unlike previous US drone manufacturers who failed by trying to beat DJI at their game, we will win by focusing on autonomy-first and fully integrated solutions.” For example, a Skydio drone that sees a cable floating in mid-air understands that the obstacle is likely to extend in both directions and avoids the cable. Object recognition is another advanced feature where the AI possesses contextual awareness. Skydio AI’s motion detection takes care of the twists and turns, while the pilot provides the general direction. Other drones ( ahem) also have a sticky obstacle avoidance system because most pilots aren’t exactly Air Force material, meaning the aircraft is often stopping midair to avoid destroying itself. The company claims other types of drones ( well, anything made by DJI, based on the marketing material) only “detect an obstacle here and there.” Such an aircraft is only ever reacting because it has no real understanding of its surroundings at any given moment. Skydio Autonomy, for instance, continuously builds a real-time 3D map of its surroundings at all times. However, the secret sauce is in the software: Credit: Skydio The grey matter for the drone comes from a Nvidia TX2, a supercomputer-on-a-module for edge computing that enables the aircraft to react on the fly. Skydio is a software-first company, though the design of its new commercial Skydio X2 seems pretty innovative with a small, foldable airframe that sports six 4K navigation cameras for 360° obstacle avoidance and a dual-sensor payload that includes 12MP color and infrared sensors. Plus, we’re told nationalism is trending. Chinese technology companies are getting the cold regulatory shoulder from the U.S. The company is broadening its market with a commercial line of drones, including public safety and defense.The way we see it, there are at least three reasons why Skydio is having a moment: This brings the company’s total funding to $340 million to date. Update : Skydio has raised $170 million in Series D funding at a post-money valuation of more than $1 billion to expand globally and accelerate product development. In fact, we first wrote about Skydio in an article on the most interesting AI startups using computer vision, followed by a story on some well-funded drone companies that could be ready to challenge DJI. The company has poured a lot of R&D and high-end tech into its consumer drones, which are among the most advanced in their use of computer vision. The startup is also tight with AI chipmaker Nvidia ( NVDA) and features GPUs in its drones. The Series C earlier this year brought in more venture capital firms with deep pockets, including Andreessen Horowitz, which led a couple of earlier rounds dating back to 2015. ![]() Founded in 2014 by some big brains out of MIT, Skydio has raised a total of $170 million.
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