![]() The technical specifications for the Skydio 2 read like a gaming laptop, with a main processor, 256-core GPU and a CPU, as well as four gigabytes of 128-bit RAM. The controller, sold as a separate accessory by Skydio for $149, is actually a re-branded Sk圜ontroller 3 developed by Parrot, which originally shipped with its Anafi drone. ![]() That’s why the Skydio 2 does not fold down for travel or storage, like virtually every other UAS in its size category: an airframe movable limbs, for example, would not provide sufficient rigidity and precision to make the system reliable. ![]() The flex in a plastic airframe, for example, would be enough to degrade its performance. In order to function, the system must know the precise distance between each of the cameras. It gives the aircraft a refined feel in the hand, like a high-end laptop, but the real reason for this choice is to support the collision avoidance system. The airframe feels very sturdy, no doubt because of the magnesium skeleton beneath its distinctive blue and black plastic skin. That isn’t a problem if what you want is a flying action camera, not a general purpose small, civil uncrewed aircraft system (UAS). However, it stops at 45 degrees above the horizon, limiting its use inspecting the underside of a bridge deck, for example. With this configuration, the Skydio 2’s camera could, in theory, pitch all the way from zenith to nadir. However, it does the Anafi one better by providing three-axis stabilization. The camera is slung on a front-mounted gimbal-like the Parrot Anafi-so that no part of the aircraft hangs over it. At a GlanceĬamera: Sony IMX577 12.3MP CMOS, 4K/30 FPS Video In short, it literally sees everything, and yet the Skydio 2 is so narrowly focused on the single goal of being a perfect flying action camera that comparisons with other small, civil UAS are problematic. ![]() Together, they create a complete picture of the operating environment in every direction, generating 45 megabytes of data 30 times per second to drive its remarkable collision avoidance system. The Skydio 2 has six 4K cameras, each with a 200-degree field of view. For example, if you put the horizon line across the center of the frame, you will immediately notice that both the sky and the ground are still visible, without being over- or under-exposed. The images are vibrant, and even without activating the camera’s high dynamic range (HDR) capability, it does a remarkable job of balancing the lighting across a scene. However, Skydio wrings the most out of every pixel. On paper, that is a fairly typical set of specifications for a drone at this size and price point. Regardless, the basic facts are the same, so here they are: the main camera-the one that actually captures video and still images-incorporates a Sony IMX577, capable of shooting 4K video at 30 frames per second (FPS) or HD video at up to 120 FPS in addition to 12 megapixel stills. Whether the Skydio 2 is an astonishing success or a quirky outlier actually depends more on the goals of the end user than it does the characteristics of the aircraft itself. An honest review of the Skydio 2 must actually be two reviews: one that compares the aircraft with its own potential, and the other that compares it with other aircraft that can be had for a similar price to perform general aerial imaging missions.
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