NTO: Updated Guidance Skydio X10 Power Loss During Flight - 31 January 2025
Published: Updated:
OSB Number: SOSB-24-V17
Date First Published: 31 January 2025
Date Updated: 19 February 2025
19 February 2025 - Updated Guidance
Operational Impact: Skydio was aware of rare occurrences of Skydio X10 vehicles losing power during flight, and we have provided a software update that mitigates this issue. This improves the battery management system and improves flight safety.
Products affected: Skydio X10, Skydio X10D, Skydio X10/X10D Controllers and Skydio X10 Batteries
Update Details
Skydio recently issued a Notice to Operators regarding rare occurrences of inflight power loss. The issue was caused by an uncommanded battery reset due to a communication fault within the battery’s management system.
Our recent software update mitigates this issue and requires a fleet-wide update of all Skydio X10 batteries, drones, and controllers.
Mitigation
Update to the latest software version:
Skydio X10
- Controller software version 37.2.32
- Skydio X10 firmware version 37.2.72
- Skydio X10 battery firmware version 2.0.2
Skydio X10D
- X10D Controller software version: 37.7.2
- Skydio X10D firmware version: 37.7.6
- Skydio X10 battery firmware version 2.0.2
[note] Flight will be blocked with batteries that have not been updated. We highly recommend updating your entire fleet at once to ensure safe, uninterrupted flight with all batteries. We also recommend that fleet managers and operators perform this software update across all batteries in one batch ahead of time in the office, as opposed to in the field, before any critical operations. [/note]
Step 1 - Update your X10 Controller, followed by your Skydio X10 in accordance with normal update workflows
Step 2 - Insert a battery into the updated drone and power it on
Step 3 - You will see a notification on the Gate Screen as the battery begins automatically updating (this process should take 30 to 60 seconds)
[note] The battery update begins as soon as the drone powers on, meaning it may complete before the update notification appears on the X10 Controller. If the controller and drone have been updated, but the above screen does not appear, you can assume the battery update is complete. [/note]
Step 4 - When the update completes, power off the drone and remove the battery
Step 5 - Insert the next battery
Step 6 - Repeat this process until you have successfully updated all batteries
After updating, you will be able to check the version of individual batteries in Skydio Cloud. Updated batteries will display firmware version 2.0.2:
- Batteries must be claimed in Skydio Cloud to view the current version
- It may take 24-48 hours for the updated version to appear
- Navigate to Settings > Devices > Batteries
31 January 2025
OSB Number: SOSB-24-V-17
Summary: We have identified an issue that, in extremely rare cases (approximately 1 in 20,000 flights), causes the vehicle to lose power mid-flight due to battery power loss. We take flight reliability extremely seriously, and our logging, analytics, and internal processes have enabled us to identify and characterize this rare issue. We have developed a mitigation to the issue and are urgently conducting testing for general release. We continue to recommend that operators use best practices and follow FAA guidelines to minimize ground risk.
At our estimated occurrence rate, an operator flying 3 flights per day could expect to see the issue occur once every 20 years. As another point of reference, we estimate that this fault is roughly twice as likely to cause a crash as a bird strike, based on fleet-wide data.
Products affected: Skydio X10 and Skydio X10D
Description, Identification, and Manifestation
In rare circumstances and under normal operating conditions, the Skydio X10 and X10D may experience a sudden and unexpected loss of power during flight due to an uncommanded battery reset.
After significant investigation into the root cause, we have determined the battery reset event is caused by a communication issue within the battery's management unit. This reset can trigger the entire battery to restart, interrupting power delivery to the vehicle.
What pilots may observe:
- The vehicle unexpectedly loses power during flight and the controller simultaneously loses connection to the vehicle.
- If the vehicle is at a sufficient altitude, pilots may see the arm lights briefly illuminate again as the system attempts to reboot during descent. The blue lights indicate the vehicle is in the power-on boot-up sequence. However, this sequence is likely not completed before the vehicle contacts the ground.
There are currently no known precursor indications available to pilots to detect or mitigate this condition before it occurs. Skydio is aggressively working on mitigation efforts, as discussed below.
Mitigation & Resolution
Skydio Actions
We are working closely with the vendor that makes the relevant component, and have developed a software update we expect will mitigate this failure mode. Extensive flight tests are being conducted as we prepare to release the update to customers. Availability of this release will be communicated through standard update channels.
Skydio will replace any vehicles damaged as a result of this condition.
Operator Actions
While the occurrence of this fault is extremely rare, all aviation operations have some risk; it is always best-practice to assess your operating parameters and adhere to the following guidelines to minimize risk:
- Follow provisions in specific FAA approvals and general guidelines (see Chapter 8 of FAA AC 107-2A) to minimize flight time directly over high-risk areas.
- When performing overwatch or hover missions, position the vehicle over a safe landing zone whenever possible.
- Continue following Skydio’s recommended best practices for battery storage and maintenance to ensure optimal performance.
Please contact Skydio Support to initiate a return for the drone if this behavior is observed.
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