The US Army has awarded Skydio, an American drone manufacturer, a $7.9-million contract to deliver its X10D small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). The deal falls under the Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Tranche 2 program, which aims to equip soldiers with compact, tactical reconnaissance drones for front-line operations.
Building on Skydio’s earlier participation in SRR Tranche 1, the new contract expands deliveries, training, and technical support for field units. The X10D systems will be produced and assembled domestically at Skydio’s California facility, aligning with the US Army’s push to strengthen its domestic industrial base and ensure secure supply chains.
The Skydio X10D is engineered for rapid deployment and autonomous operation, enabling soldiers to conduct short-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in contested environments. It features vertical takeoff and landing capability, a 48-megapixel telephoto camera, and a Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal sensor capable of detecting fine thermal variations per pixel. Its AI-driven navigation system supports full obstacle avoidance and GPS-denied flight, maintaining situational awareness even under electronic warfare conditions.
Built on a modular, open platform, the X10D supports third-party integrations and secure communication protocols, ensuring mission adaptability and data protection. The system also includes chip-level encryption to safeguard sensitive mission data from cyber threats.
The SRR program represents a cornerstone of the US Army’s initiative to field agile, soldier-portable drones that bridge the gap between micro-UAVs and larger reconnaissance platforms. With multiple tranches underway, the program continues to expand vendor participation, including companies such as Red Cat, which is supplying additional small UAS options. These contracts encompass not just drone delivery but also training, maintenance, software updates, and integration with command-and-control networks across Army units.
