OSB Number: SOSB-24-V-05

Date first published: 3 May 2024

Date updated: 11 July 2025

11 July 2025 - Updated Propeller Design

On May 3, 2024 Skydio published a Notice to Operators (NTO) to describe an accelerated wear issue associated with Skydio X10 propellers (REV 1). To address the root cause, Skydio developed a new propeller design (REV 2) with significant mechanical and material changes to mitigate accelerated wear and improve service life. As of April 2025, all new Skydio X10 kits are shipped with REV 2 props. For existing customers who received X10 kits with REV 1 props, and who have not yet received the new REV 2 props, starting July 8, 2025 Skydio will send out two sets of REV 2 propellers for every Skydio X10 kit. We anticipate that it will take a few months for all customers to receive their new REV 2 propellers.

Products affected: Skydio X10 (both docked and non-docked) and Skydio X10D

REV 2 Propeller Design Improvements

After a comprehensive investigation, we found that the aerospace-grade aluminum and stainless steel materials used in our REV 1 propeller design contributed significantly to accelerated prop hub wear. The updated design provides additional support for the hub and dramatically improves the lifespan of the propeller assembly.

Our REV 2 propeller design features two primary changes: 

• New Materials: we’ve shifted to using low-friction plastic as we found that this was most capable of handling high aerodynamic loads at the interface of propeller hub and the motor shaft
• New Stabilizing Hoop: added to reduce strain on the quick-release attachment point and improve structural integrity under high-stress/high-speed flight conditions

We’ve done extensive validation and testing with this new design to confirm that REV 2 propellers show an order of magnitude improvement over REV 1 propellers in high-stress/high-speed flight conditions.

While we are confident that durability has improved tenfold, we are continuing to test in lab and real-world conditions with the expectation that we will further improve the replacement guidelines.

Mitigation and Resolution

Skydio Actions

As of April 2025, all new Skydio X10 kits are shipped with REV 2 props. For existing customers who received X10 kits with REV 1 props, and who have not yet received the new REV 2 props, starting July 8, 2025 Skydio will send out two sets of REV 2 propellers for every Skydio X10 kit. We anticipate that it will take a few months for all customers to receive their new REV 2 propellers.

Initialization Instructions

1. Remove and discard REV 1 propellers
2. To install REV2 propellers, follow the instructions in the Skydio Support article How to replace Skydio X10 propellers. REV 2 propellers are installed using the same method as REV 1 propellers.
   • Match the color on the hub of the replacement set of propellers to the color on the motor (gray to gray and blue to blue). Be gentle and do not force the fitment. If the propeller set does not fit on the motor it might be the incorrect set or side.
     
3. Log the replacement of your props in Skydio Cloud
   1. Navigate to Settings > Devices > Drone and next to Prop Hours select Mark Replaced
   2. Select REV 2 as the propeller type and verify the replacement date
      
      [warning] To maintain your warranty you must immediately cease use of and discard all REV 1 props once you receive your REV 2 props. Logging the replacement of your propellers in Skydio Cloud, with the replacement date correctly populated, is a critical step to ensure you receive an alert when the propellers reach their flight hour limit and should be immediately replaced. If the Prop Hours field is empty in Skydio Cloud, you will not receive any propeller replacement alerts. [/warning]
4. Follow the updated maintenance guidelines below for your REV 2 propellers

If you have not yet received your REV 2 propellers, please continue to follow the safety and maintenance guidance for your REV 1 propellers posted in our original NTO:

• If flying in high-stress conditions, perform a visual propeller hub inspection at least every 5 flight hours
• If not flying in high-stress conditions, perform the propeller hub inspection at least every 50 flight hours.
• Immediately replace the propellers if accelerated wear conditions are found.

Maintenance Guidelines

[warning] Propellers with hairline cracks or large breaks, chops, or bends should be replaced immediately. Do NOT fly Skydio X10 with propellers showing observable damage; serious bodily harm or injury may occur due to a loss of control of the drone. [/warning]

[note] Propellers are consumable items and should be planned for and replaced as part of a regular maintenance schedule when they reach the end of their usable life. Part of this improvement will extend the usable life of your propellers, requiring your organization to conduct less frequent replacements and have fewer spares in inventory. [/note]

REV 2 Propellers

After installing new propellers, perform a functional check flight to ensure propellers are in good working condition. For optimal performance, Skydio recommends replacing propellers at 250 hours of flight time or whenever damage is identified. If flying with multiple attachments in high-stress flight conditions, replace propellers at 100 hours of flight time.  

The duration between maintenance intervals for REV 2 propellers will be extended as flight tests indicate safe use beyond 100 hours of high-stress flight time while configured with multiple attachments.  When these changes occur, announcements will be made in upcoming Flight System Updates and reflected in the propeller device page in Skydio Cloud.

Note that any future extensions of propeller lifespans do not modify or limit preflight inspection requirements to ensure operational readiness prior to each flight.

High-stress use of the flight system with multiple attachments is defined by Skydio as multiple attachments installed on the drone, combined with:

• Sustained flight airspeed above 33 mph (53 km/h)
• Aggressive or max throttle, pitch, and yaw
• Flights conducted in high wind or gust conditions

REV 1 Propellers

Please continue to follow the guidance below until you receive your REV 2 propellers.

3 May 2024 - Original Notice

Safety Risk: Flight hours primarily accumulated via high-stress flight conditions may create accelerated wear of the propeller's quick-release attachment point, which may lead to an inflight loss of motor sync, resulting in an unrecoverable flight upset and crash.

Products affected: Skydio X10 and Skydio X10D

Description, Identification, and Manifestation

Skydio X10 and X10D propellers are designed for up to 250 hours of useful life under normal flight conditions. Useful life may be reduced for vehicles accumulating substantial flight hours in high-stress flight conditions, including:

• Sustained flight airspeed above 33 mph (53 km/h)
• Aggressive or max throttle, pitch, and yaw
• Flights conducted in high wind or gust conditions

Skydio analysis of vehicle flight telemetry and physical propeller inspection, indicates a limited number of customers with flight profiles matching the above description, may experience accelerated propeller hub wear requiring propeller replacement ahead of the existing 250 hour replacement interval to assure safe flight.

Mitigation and Resolution

Skydio Actions

Skydio Customer Support is contacting X10 customers with high stress flight profiles. X10D customers will need to follow inspection recommendations as telemetry monitoring is not available. Skydio will provide customers with replacement propeller sets if accelerated wear conditions are found. Skydio is also actively working on enhanced analytics to monitor and alert customers to signs of propeller hub wear, regardless of the cause. Skydio is developing design and material changes to increase the propeller hub’s useful life in high-stress flight conditions. All customers will be provided new design propeller sets when they become available.

Operator Actions

Based on this data, Skydio recommends vehicles accumulating flight hours primarily via high-stress profile conditions (described above) undergo a short visual propeller hub inspection every 5 flight hours.

If not flying in high-stress profile conditions, out of an abundance of caution, Skydio recommends all operators perform the propeller hub inspection every 50 flight hours.

Inspection Procedure

The inspection procedure involves observing the degree of movement in the propeller hub and the motor shaft.

Step 1 - Place Skydio X10 on a stable, flat surface with adequate lighting to familiarize yourself with the propeller assembly

Step 2 - Grasp the motor between your index finger and thumb with one hand, then grasp the propeller hub with your other hand

Step 3 - Apply firm opposite torsion between the propeller hub and the motor in both directions without pressing downward

Step 4 - Look and feel for movement of the motor shaft compared to the pocket it rests in within the propeller hub

Step 6 - Repeat the inspection process on the remaining three propeller hubs

• If you observe accelerated pocket movement in any propeller hubs, replace all four propeller hubs
• If in doubt, contact Skydio Support and provide close-up photos of the propeller hub assembly, or arrange for no-charge replacement propeller sets to be sent to you

Step 7 - When replacing propellers, Skydio recommends inspecting the motor shaft spring. Please see the Skydio X10 Maintenance Manual for details.