Situational awareness drones ordered by U.S. Air Force from Skydio
NewsNovember 14, 2025
SAN MATEO, California. Skydio won two initial multi-million-dollar U.S. Air Force contracts to broaden the use of its X10D uncrewed aerial system (UAS) across Tactical Air Control Party and Explosive Ordnance Disposal units, the company announced in a statement.
According to the statement, the systems will support Tactical Air Control Party Airmen with tasks such as situational awareness, communications relay, and target characterization. Skydio’s platforms are also being fielded by Explosive Ordnance Disposal units for both home-station and deployed operations, with additional deliveries expected over the next 18 months, the statement reads.
The company says the effort aligns with broader Air Force initiatives to integrate uncrewed systems into routine operations. Other Air Force units already employ Skydio platforms for base security and aircraft inspection tasks, including a program at Travis Air Force Base that uses drones to reduce C-17 inspection timelines, the statement notes.
Skydio describes the X10D as a small UAS equipped with optical and thermal sensors, onboard autonomy for navigation in GPS-denied conditions, and an open architecture that supports modular payloads. The system is included on the Department of Defense’s Blue UAS Cleared List, which requires specific cybersecurity and performance standards, the company says.
