The US Army has awarded Skydio a $7.9-million contract to provide X10D small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) under the Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Tranche 2 program. The deal covers delivery of additional drones, technical support, and operator training for frontline reconnaissance missions.
The award builds on Skydio’s earlier success in SRR Tranche 1, reinforcing the Army’s goal to field portable, soldier-operated drones for rapid situational awareness. Production and assembly of the X10D will be conducted domestically at Skydio’s California manufacturing facility.
The Skydio X10D is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) sUAS designed for autonomous operation in contested environments. It equips soldiers with real-time imaging and threat detection, featuring a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor, a Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal imager, and AI-based visual navigation for GPS-denied areas.
Its open, modular architecture supports third-party payloads, while built-in chip-level security safeguards mission data.
The SRR initiative aims to bridge the capability gap between hand-launched micro-UAVs and larger long-endurance drones through a phased acquisition strategy. Tranche 2 continues this effort with follow-on purchases, sustainment, and software integration. Other SRR participants include firms such as Red Cat, which provide alternative sUAS platforms for evaluation and training.
