Understanding Skydio X2E camera and video settings
Published: Updated:
Adjustable settings such as exposure, shutter speed, and ISO allow you to capture the perfect shot. In this article, we’ll define each of the settings available to you when capturing a photo or video footage.
In-Depth
Skydio captures photos and video, but cannot capture both at the same time. You may change your camera settings at any time before or during flight, but note that changing the camera settings before launch may cause your drone to return to the preflight screen and recalibrate its vision system.
[tip text="For best results, we recommend using the default settings."]
Photo capture settings
[tip text="The camera settings below apply to Skydio 2/2+, Skydio X2 Color, and the color camera on Skydio X2 Color/Thermal. Skydio captures photos in the sRGB colorspace."]
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Photo interval
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When Photo Interval is enabled Skydio will continuously capture photos at the specified time interval until the setting is disabled or the flight ends.
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JPG / JPG+DNG
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A JPG file is a digital image format containing compressed image data. These are the images you captured during your scan. You will need these files for creating reconstructions in photogrammetry software programs. Choose whether you want Skydio to capture JPG images only, or both JPG and DNG files. |
| HDR |
Toggle on HDR when flying in environments that range from bright direct sunlight to extreme shade. |
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White balance |
White Balance is a setting that balances the color temperature in your photo. If the whites in your picture are too orange, for example, adding the opposite color (blue) will balance them out. When set to Auto (default), Skydio will automatically adjust the White Balance for its environment. To manually control the White Balance, tap Auto to deselect it, then use the on-screen slider to set the White Balance to your desired value. |
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Shutter speed |
The shutter speed is the rate at which the camera’s shutter opens and closes when taking a photo.
When set to Auto, Skydio will automatically adjust the Shutter speed based on the available light. Tap Auto to deselect it, then use the on-screen slider to manually set Shutter Speed to your desired value. |
| Compensation |
Exposure refers to the amount of light the camera allows in. Exposure Compensation allows you to adjust the exposure value in your photos. By default, the Compensation will be set to 0.0. Use the on-screen slider to adjust the compensation to your desired value. |
| ISO |
ISO is a setting that will brighten or darken your photo. When in low-light conditions, raising the ISO value will brighten the image, however, you may see some graininess. When set to Auto, Skydio will automatically adjust the ISO for its environment. To manually control the ISO, tap Auto to deselect it, then use the on-screen slider to set the ISO to your desired value. |
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Video capture settings
[info text="Skydio captures Rec.709 video footage."]
| Resolution |
Resolution is measured in pixels and refers to the amount of detail in your video:
When in the video mode settings, you can tap to switch between HD (1080p) and 4K resolution. |
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Frame rate |
When in the video mode settings, select the framerate to switch between different options available for your chosen resolution:
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| Auto / Manual recording |
By default, Skydio will be set to record video automatically. Tap this setting to switch to manual. When set to manual, select the shutter button to start/stop the video recording. |
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Video Codec |
Skydio can record video in either AVC (H.264) or HEVC (H.265). Different mobile devices and personal computers have different compatibility with these encoding standards. |
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White balance |
White Balance is a setting that balances the color temperature in your video. If the whites in your picture are too orange, for example, adding the opposite color (blue) will balance them out. When set to Auto (default), Skydio will automatically adjust the White Balance for its environment. To manually control the White Balance, tap Auto to de-select it, then use the on-screen slider to set the White Balance to your desired value. |
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Shutter speed |
The shutter speed is the rate at which the camera’s shutter opens and closes when taking a photo.
When set to Auto, Skydio will automatically adjust the Shutter speed based on the available light. Tap Auto to deselect it, then use the on-screen slider to manually set Shutter Speed to your desired value. |
| ISO |
ISO is a setting that will brighten or darken your video. When in low-light conditions, raising the ISO value will brighten the video, however, you may notice some graininess. When set to Auto, Skydio will automatically adjust the ISO for its environment. To manually control the ISO, tap Auto to deselect it, then use the on-screen slider to set the ISO to your desired value. |
| Compensation |
Exposure refers to the amount of light the camera allows in. Exposure Compensation allows you to adjust the exposure value in your videos. By default, the Compensation will be set to 0.0. Use the on-screen slider to adjust the compensation to your desired value. |
What is HDR?
High Dynamic Range (HDR) captures and combines different exposure levels to create a more balanced image. Skydio HDR video uses digital image signal processing techniques to reconstruct frames with a much higher dynamic range than is possible with a single frame and exposure.
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HDR on |
HDR off |
[note text="HDR is not supported in all video resolutions and frame rates."]
Explore More
Explore related articles for additional information:
Skydio camera and metadata overview
How to create 3D reconstructions
Access Skydio 2/2+ Enterprise Manuals and Guides
Skydio, Inc. A0194
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