U.S. drone maker Skydio has received a contract with a ceiling of $19 million from the Spanish Ministry of Defence to deliver autonomous small uncrewed aerial systems for its armed forces. The Skydio X10Ds will be delivered through a partnership with defense technology distributor Paukner Group.
The Spanish Armed Forces will deploy the sUAS for force protection, target acquisition and other missions.
“X10D with onboard [artificial intelligence], autonomy and powerful sensors is resilient in contested environments, making it the ideal choice for Spain’s Armed Forces human-machine teaming missions,” said Skydio co-founder and CEO Adam Bry.
Skydio X10D is the preferred solution for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations due to its wide range of features, providing electronic warfare resistance and survivability in the modern battlefield. It is the first small UAS in the world to integrate a Teledyne FLIR Boson+ sensor, enabling the drone to provide the highest quality thermal imaging. With more megapixels and improved optics, commanders gain decision-making advantage by accessing accurate information.
The UAS manufacturer has provided the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies with a wide range of unmanned systems. New Zealand is among the allies turning to Skydio for their drone requirements. In December 2023, Skydio and EPE New Zealand partnered to equip the country’s army with X2D unmanned aircraft systems.