Drone News: Air Sentinel App, New Skydio Drone, and a DJI Event Next Week!

Welcome to your weekly UAS News update. We have three stories for you this week: the Air Sentinel app, the new Skydio X10 drone, and DJI's upcoming event. Let's dive in.

The Air Sentinel App

Before we delve in, you might be curious why we are presenting drone News updates with a scenic lake view backdrop. The reason is, I've contracted something highly contagious, preventing us from gathering indoors. Thus, we're hosting this outdoors this week. Physically, I'm managing; though my head feels congested, I'm doing fairly well.

Our first topic of discussion is the Air Sentinel app, which has partnered with Drone Responders to provide Remote ID information to public safety. For those unfamiliar, the Air Sentinel app lets users access Remote ID broadcast information. However, it omits the pilot's location because the app creators believe that this information should remain private, available only to authorized personnel.

This privileged group, upon proving their public safety credentials, can access pilot data via the app. Currently, the Air Sentinel app, which we recommend based on our Remote ID tests, is free to download on Android.

New Skydio X10 Drone

Next, we Spotlight the new Skydio X10. This is Skydio's latest enterprise drone, boasting a FLIR Boson, a 640×512 radiometric 1-inch 50-megapixel wide camera, and a 64-megapixel zoom camera. The X10 promises various payloads, like the upcoming V100L. This latter model offers the same camera specifications but includes a flashlight instead of a thermal camera. Key features of the X10 include a 40-minute max flight time, four payload bays, optional 5G connectivity, and a 7.5-mile range. It seems set to rival drones like DJI's M30 and Autel's Max. We hope that with such competitive offerings, Skydio will prioritize quality and pricing instead of undermining other brands through aggressive lobbying.

DJI Event Next Week

Lastly, DJI has teased an event for this coming Monday. Speculations are rife that they might unveil the DJI Mini 4 Pro. The event, intriguingly named “Mini to the Max“, is set for 9 a.m. Eastern Time. Preliminary leaks suggest the Mini 4 could feature a revamped obstacle avoidance system, a downward-facing LED, and modified front legs. We're keen to see if these rumors hold water.

Before signing off, here's a quick announcement: We'll be present at the Colorado drone show in Fort Collins, Colorado, in two weeks. The event is free! I'll be offering first-flight experiences, and there will be various presentations and vendors. Join us for giveaways, meet the team, and much more.

We hope to be back in our studio for our next update. Have a fantastic weekend!