How Skydio Drone Video is Uploaded to Axon Evidence

This document provides a high level overview of the process Skydio uses to securely upload drone video to Axon Evidence Cloud.

Prerequisites

The flow described in this document assumes that a functioning integration (Skydio built) exists between Skydio Cloud with Axon Evidence. No video captured by the drone system is uploaded to Axon without the integration described in the following document:  

High Level Data Flow (Skydio > Axon)

Media from the aircraft (images and video) is saved to Skydio Cloud storage, then the Skydio-built Axon Evidence integration delivers that media into Axon Evidence by leveraging the Axon Air API.

1. On the aircraft — Flight media is recorded to onboard storage (SD card).
2. Into Skydio Cloud — Media from the vehicle is uploaded automatically to Skydio Cloud storage when Media Sync is enabled.
3. Credentials — An administrator connects Skydio Cloud to Axon by saving Axon API credentials (Axon Air API / Evidence Management). That authorization is what allows Skydio’s backend to act on the agency's behalf when pushing files into Evidence.
4. To Axon Evidence — After media exists in Skydio Cloud as an uploaded file, Skydio’s integration uploads the file to Axon Evidence using those credentials.

[note]Every file in Axon must be associated with a user. Skydio defaults to the pilot email when possible. If that email does not exist in the customer’s Axon Evidence org, uploads would otherwise fail—so the integration requires a Default Axon user email. Files without a resolvable pilot in Axon are uploaded under that default user instead.[/note]

What Files Sync to Axon Evidence

Skydio Cloud syncs these media types to Axon when present:

• Vehicle Images (standard and infra-red (IR))
• Vehicle Video (raw and preview)  

Important Security Elements

• The Axon API client (configured in Axon Evidence / Axon Air API settings) grants authentication and authorization for transfers to your Evidence org.
• Integration credentials are stored securely on the Skydio Cloud side and used by backend workflows—not by the aircraft directly talking to Axon.
• Encryption of data is CJIS/FIPS compliant. The Skydio-Axon container supports FIPS.
• Skydio performs Secure Hashing Algorithm (SHA) verification to ensure file integrity and security:
  • Skydio confirms that the file(s) being uploaded to Axon Evidence matches the vehicle’s SHA.
  • To prevent data corruption, Skydio calculates the SHA for each data block being sent to Axon Evidence. If any SHA does not match, Axon rejects the upload. 
• Skydio provides two options for data erasure after upload to Axon Evidence is complete and verified:
  • Erase media from the vehicle's SD card.
  • Erase media from Skydio Cloud.

   [note]As they are independent settings, an org can choose to have both, either, or neither configured.[/note]