Support for Microhard Rev H

Microhard Radio Firmware Update - This release includes a firmware update for the Microhard Radio. Vehicle and controller updates will take longer than usual during this firmware update installation.

Enhanced Situational Awareness

Skydio Shadow: Subject Track and Follow - BETA

Shadow enables your X10 to act like a true teammate, autonomously maintaining a consistent visual lock on people and vehicles, making it easier to track and capture critical details on moving subjects.

• Predictive reacquisition enables Shadow to reacquire tracking even when the subject is briefly hidden behind obstacles.
• Responsive following keeps the subject centered, maintaining distance and altitude while dynamically responding to the environment, avoiding obstacles, even while flying backwards.
• Clearer follow controls, including the option to automatically begin following after selecting a subject.
• Operate day or night by seamlessly transitioning between color and thermal sensors to track subjects at night or in low-visibility environments.
• Each tracked subject appears on the Map View, helping operators communicate position and assign coverage.

Shadow Track and Follow continues to provide two modes for tracking subjects:

Track in Place

Maintains a lock on a subject and keeps them framed in the camera, even through brief occlusions, by predicting their movement.

Follow

When enabled during tracking, the drone automatically adjusts its position, speed, and heading to maintain visual contact as it moves with the subject. Obstacle avoidance must be enabled to use Follow, allowing the drone to automatically pause if a collision risk is detected.

[note] Shadow cannot run simultaneously with VPS or 3D Scan due to system constraints. Performance may be reduced in very low light conditions without NightSense.

Follow cannot be used when Obstacle Avoidance is off. Follow only operates above approximately 60 feet AGL. Below this altitude, the drone will maintain track in place rather than follow in motion. Maximum speed for Follow is 45 mph (20 m/s). [/note]

Shadow: Track and Follow Best Practices

To maintain reliable tracking performance and reduce the likelihood of interruptions or tracking loss, Pilots should review the best practices below during Shadow Track and Follow operations:

Arrive on Scene Faster

Faster Fly Here Now Flights with Obstacle Avoidance on X10 Controllers

Fly Here Now transits on X10 Controllers will now reach 45 mph (20 m/s) without disabling obstacle avoidance. Respond to incidents and cover distance faster while maintaining full obstacle detection and safety features.

• The drone will always fly at this maximum speed while executing a Fly Here Now mission

[note] At higher speeds, battery temperature may increase, meaning performance limits may automatically adjust to preserve flight safety and efficiency. [/note]

NightSense Power Optimization Strobing - Default OFF 

Night flights benefit from improved endurance through intelligent power management of the infrared (IR) NightSense modules. The IR LEDs now strobe in sync with the navigation cameras rather than running continuously, reducing energy use while preserving full obstacle-avoidance performance.

• Reduces battery draw from IR illumination, extending mission duration by up to 5-7 minutes during night operations
• Maintains the same level of obstacle detection and visual navigation accuracy
• Disabled by default

[note] This optimization applies only to IR NightSense modules. Visible NightSense behavior is unchanged. Strobing occurs in infrared light and is not visible to the human eye. [/note]

Enhanced Flight Experience

Flight Envelope Protection

Flight Envelope Protection (FEP) introduces a new power management system that dynamically manages speed, thrust, and battery output to deliver a smoother, more predictable flight experience. By optimizing available power in real time, even with a full set of attachments, FEP enables the drone to reach and maintain true top speeds more consistently across a wider range of conditions.

• Automatically manages power draw in cold temperatures, at high altitudes, or when carrying a full set of attachments, enabling more consistent achievement of top speeds while preventing brownouts or early landings
• Longer flight times - Increases flight times by 3-5 minutes due to faster returns and greater predictability
• On-station time - Provides 2-10 minutes of increased time on scene based on distance to scene and configuration

[note] Top speeds may be slightly impacted in extreme cold or with high loads. [/note] 

No Hand-Wave Calibration Required for GPS Night Launches

Launching at night with GPS-only no longer requires hand-wave calibration. Pilots can launch directly from the ground, even in dark or low-light environments, without enabling NightSense or Low Light mode. This allows for safer, more consistent launches in challenging environments.

Skydio X10 will use magnetometer-based heading estimation when Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) is unavailable (e.g., night conditions, low-texture areas, or during GPS-only operations). The drone determines heading during its normal 360° launch spin using compass and GPS data.

• Removes the need for hand-wave calibration during nighttime GPS launches
• Reduces launch interruptions caused by limited visual data, ensuring reliable flight initialization even at night or in low-light environments
• Enabled by default

[note] Hand Launches still require hand wave calibration. [/note]

EO and Thermal Alignment while Zooming

This feature maintains alignment between the thermal and EO images as the operator adjusts zoom on the controller. It does so by applying the factory calibration parameters stored in the gimbal to adjust the thermal image and camera model, ensuring both sensors remain spatially aligned.

This alignment is particularly important at higher zoom levels, where even minor misalignments become more pronounced and can make it more difficult for operators to compare views and confidently interpret what they observe.

New Return Option: Backtrack

The X10 Controller now includes a Backtrack return option, providing more control over how the drone returns in complex, constrained, or GPS-denied environments.

When Backtrack is selected, the flight system attempts to return the drone along the previously traveled path. If backtracking is not possible, the drone will automatically use Up and Over.

• Backtrack – Drone retraces its outbound path to return
• Up and Over – Drone ascends to a set height before returning

Icing Detection Alerts on X10 Controllers

Cold, wet conditions can cause ice to form on rotor blades, reducing lift and flight stability. Vehicle Icing Detection introduces a critical new safety feature that helps prevent incidents during cold and wet conditions by automatically identifying early signs of icing and alerting you before performance is affected.

For example, the drone detects icing during an automated mission while the remote operator is unaware of local moisture conditions. The prompt enables early corrective action before flight control degradation occurs.

• Continuously monitors flight performance and detects reduced lift or increased drag that may indicate ice buildup
• Icing alerts may appear in temperatures up to 46°F (8°C)
• Enabled by default (no setup or setting configuration required)
• Review the Skydio Winter Operations Guidance

[note]Icing detection provides an early warning but does not automatically return or land the drone. [/note]

Select between MP4 or TS with KLV metadata file type

The user can control whether the SD Card recordings are in the MP4 or MPEG-TS format when flying from the Controller.

• Improvement to KLV Telemetry via Media SD Card, which is a Special Access feature - Contact your Skydio representative for more information and access.

Hardware

Dropper Supported on X10D - BETA

Skydio X10D now supports the Dropper (BETA) attachment. Contact your Skydio Account Executive for access.

Skydio Dropper attachment for X10 prototype

Bug Fixes

• Crosshair Coordinates - Previously, you had to pitch the gimbal downward to see crosshair coordinates. That issue has been fixed, crosshair coordinates are now available with the gimbal at up to +45°. Note that crosshair coordinates are only provided within a 2 km range; beyond that, the system will display “out of range.”

Explore More

Explore related articles for additional information

Skydio X10D Manuals, Guides, and Resources

How to update your Skydio X10D

[note]If you need assistance, please reach out to: FedSupport@skydio.us[/note]

Skydio, Inc.  A0505