Skydio X2D ATO Release Notes

[note text="This information applies to United States government operators"] 

October 6, 2022

Skydio X2D vehicle software version:	19.4.19
Skydio Enterprise Controller software version:	20.1.30
Skydio Enterprise Controller-S software version:	20.2.11

 

NEW

Skydio ATAK Integration

Integrating the Skydio Enterprise and the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) apps allows you to monitor your Skydio X2D fleet. ATAK provides geospatial information about your Skydio X2D and controlling device, allowing you to navigate using GPS and map data overlays for real-time situational awareness.

Integrating the Skydio Enterprise and the Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) apps allows you to monitor your Skydio X2D fleet. ATAK provides geospatial information about your Skydio X2D and controlling device, allowing you to navigate using GPS and map data overlays for real-time situational awareness.

Attitude Mode

Attitude Mode is a new Vehicle Mode available on Skydio X2D that allows you to disable the visual and GPS navigation systems. Designed to be flown by expert pilots, in GPS-denied environments, or where there is the potential for jamming, Attitude Mode offers a manual flight experience. You have direct stick control of the aircraft’s throttle, yaw rate, pitch, and roll angles, rather than relying on automatic altitude and position stabilization. All autonomous functions, such as Return to Home and Obstacle Avoidance, are disabled.

Thermal Settings

Thermal imaging detects infrared radiation to help see objects in the dark, by distinguishing the relative temperature to help you see warmer objects such as people and animals, against cooler backdrops. There are now more settings available to meet your operational requirements.

Automatic Gain Control (AGC) Tuning - With AGC Tuning, the gain, or signal noise, in your thermal image will automatically optimize for the contrast you have selected. Tuning presets are available for all thermal palettes. Options include:

Reconnaissance - uses the lowest contrast settings; the temperatures in your image will be represented with a narrow range of colors or shades.
Low contrast - displays a broader range of color than Reconnaissance allowing for more defined temperature differentiation.
Medium contrast (default) - as you add contrast to your images the resulting temperature variances are represented by more colors, providing greater detail in your thermal imagery.
High contrast - displays temperature variances using a wide range of colors, providing the highest level of detail in your thermal imagery.

Region of Interest - you now can select a Region of Interest (ROI) on your thermal image and apply AGC to that specific area. The area inside the ROI will be optimized with AGC, while the area outside the region of interest can still be viewed. Specifying the region of interest is useful when you need to quickly determine thermal irregularities by ignoring sections of a thermal reading that are irrelevant to you.

Thermal Video Feed Improvements

This update offers improved infrared stream quality. Skydio X2D now uses an adaptive bit rate that adjusts depending on the wireless channel conditions of your range and environment.

• • Maximum bit rate up to 1Mbps

Hand Wave Calibration

You now have a new Hand Wave magnetometer calibration method for GPS Night Flight. To use the faster and easier method of calibration:

Enable GPS Night Flight Mode Enable Hand Wave Motion Wave drone back-and-forth Put down the drone Launch
Visit Skydio X2 GPS Night Flight for more information about the calibration methods.

Connection Status

You can now view the strength of the signal connection between the controlling device and your Skydio X2D. Select the Connection Status icon to display the connected drone status, signal strength, GPS quality, and satellite count.

Button Mapping for Skydio Enterprise Controller

Skydio Enterprise Controller buttons L2 and R2 are now programmable. Select from:
Toggle Map Toggle Camera thermal or color Close Obstacle Avoidance Minimal Obstacle Avoidance Disabled Obstacle Avoidance No Function

Save thermal photos

You now can choose whether or not you save thermal photos when a color photo is captured on your Skydio X2D Color/Thermal.

[info text="This does not affect the Thermal PiP display."] 

New VehicleName in Photo EXIF Data

Easily differentiate between the Skydio X2 Color and Skydio X2 Color/Thermal camera models with updated naming in the embedded EXIF/XMP image data.

• • Skydio X2 Color the VehicleName is displayed as X2 Wide
  • Skydio X2 Color/Thermal the VehicleName is displayed as X2 Narrow

Emergency Flight Termination

When flying with the Enterprise Controller, you can terminate your flight in the event of an extreme emergency. Press and hold the Land and Return buttons on the controller for three seconds while in flight to immediately stop your drone's motors.

[warning text="Terminating a flight will cause your drone to crash. This will void your warranty and may result in injury or damage. Use only in extreme situations."]

Directional Pad (D-pad) Functionality

The directional pad on the Skydio Enterprise controller is now functional. You can use the D-pad to scroll through menus and select settings.

• • Push up, down, left, or right to navigate through menus and settings

  • Press in to select

  • To adjust a slider setting, scroll until the slider is highlighted and press down to select. The slider will turn blue to indicate it is active. Push left or right to adjust slider values, and press down to confirm

  • Usable both on the ground and during flight

Radio channel selection

Manually select your radio frequency channel to avoid congestion from other signals.

Select your radio frequency channel to avoid congestion from other signals while in flight.

Dynamic Channel Selection

When set to auto, your Skydio X2D will automatically monitor signal interference and move to a clearer channel to improve wireless transmission signal quality during flight.

KeyFrame

KeyFrame is a new autonomous skill that allows even inexperienced pilots to choreograph professional cinematic aerial shots by capturing continuous, complex video with smooth camera motion. KeyFrame flights can be flown repeatedly, with varying complexity, subtle camera moves, speed adjustments, and obstacle avoidance. Set up your sequence by adding up to 100 keyframes in a 3D space. Adjust the camera framing at each keyFrame to create dynamic, multi-point flight paths. You can reverse, speed up, slow down or repeat your custom flight path and watch as Skydio X2 smoothly and autonomously flies from point to point.

When playing back a KeyFrame sequence, you can now choose to have Skydio prioritize Accuracy or Speed. Accuracy: Skydio may dynamically slow down around sharp turns. Helps to avoid cutting corners to maintain your drone’s position along the KeyFrame path Speed: Your drone may fly off the KeyFrame path to maintain a steady speed	KeyFrame Settings > Prioritize
[info text="The maximum KeyFrame speed for Skydio X2 remains at 11 mph (5 m/s)."]

IMPROVEMENTS

Disable Return when Disconnected

You now can toggle off the Return when Disconnected setting and the corresponding Lost Connection settings below it. When toggled off, Skydio X2 will not return if it loses connection—it will hover until it reaches low battery and land.

Improved video feed at long ranges

Video throughput has been improved when flying at long ranges, resulting in smoother, clearer video streaming to the controller.

Zoom support for photos

Your photos will now be saved at the zoom level at which they were captured.

Radio sensitivity issues improved

• • previously Skydio X2 was overly de-sensing its radios in response to interference, which was causing poor signal quality

  • Skydio X2 is now able to dynamically adjust the sensitivity of its radios according to the level of interference the drone is experiencing, resulting in better signal quality and control range in all environments

Explore More

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Access Skydio X2D Manuals, Checklists, and Guides

3D Scan Quick Start Guide

  

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