/** * Custom footer links injection */ function add_custom_footer_links() { echo ''; } add_action('wp_footer', 'add_custom_footer_links'); skydio – Born to Drone https://borntodrone.org Aerial photography services Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:25:16 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.7 Globalstar and Skydio Complete First Drone Flight on Globalstar Band n53TM and XCOM RAN https://borntodrone.org/globalstar-and-skydio-complete-first-drone-flight-on-globalstar-band-n53tm-and-xcom-ran/ Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:25:16 +0000 https://www.suasnews.com/?p=103365

Globalstar (NASDAQ: GSAT), a next-generation telecommunications infrastructure and technology provider, today announces the successful completion of a joint technology trial with Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. The companies validated compatibility between the Skydio X10 and Globalstar’s licensed Band n53 spectrum, as well as Globalstar’s XCOM RAN private 5G platform.

Skydio and Globalstar’s trial evaluated Band n53 and XCOM RAN as a representative, high-performance alternative to traditional Wi-Fi or public cellular networks. Globalstar holds full licensed rights to Band n53, making the spectrum predictable, secure, and immediately available for operational testing. XCOM RAN delivers deterministic performance, high uplink throughput, and robust coherence in dense or challenging environments. Together, they enable reliable command, control, and streaming video performance for airborne operations.

“One of the biggest advantages in this trial was how quickly we were able to integrate Band n53 using an existing module already supported within Globalstar’s ecosystem,” said Skydio CTO Abe Bachrach. “It allowed us to move fast and begin real-world testing very quickly. We are excited about the capabilities XCOM RAN brings and looking forward to future collaboration on both indoor and outdoor use cases.”

“Skydio is one of the most innovative drone companies in the world and their public safety mission requires the most reliable connectivity possible,” said Globalstar CEO Dr. Paul E. Jacobs. “This trial highlights the strength of Band n53 and the XCOM RAN architecture for high performance uplink applications like autonomous drones. We are proud to support a future where first responders have the tools they need to move faster and stay safer.”

About Globalstar, Inc.

Globalstar is a global telecommunications provider connecting what matters most. Through our industry-leading low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and licensed Band 53/n53 spectrum, we deliver reliable satellite and terrestrial connectivity solutions that empower customers worldwide to connect, transmit, and communicate smarter.

Our comprehensive connectivity ecosystem includes software-defined, purpose-built private wireless network platform, coupled with Globalstar Band 53 in XCOM RANTM and trusted GPS messengers Saved by SPOTTM for safety and personal communication for business and enterprise applications.

Serving business, enterprises, and consumer markets across the globe, Globalstar supports applications that track and protect assets, enable automation, enhance operational efficiency, and safeguard lives. With unmatched reach and a relentless focus on innovation, and mission-critical performance, we’re redefining what’s possible for global connectivity.

To learn more, visit www.globalstar.com

About XCOM RAN

XCOM RAN by Globalstar is the next generation in private 5G, designed to support tomorrow’s mission-critical industrial automation requirements. XCOM RAN delivers unprecedented performance by taking a new approach to private 5G that increases capacity by 4x over first generation offerings, enabling flawless connectivity in the densest automation environments.

XCOM RAN can run on the shared spectrum traditionally used for private 5G deployments, but it can also leverage Globalstar’s licensed Band n53 as a dedicated band for worry-free private 5G deployments. Its new Supercell architecture removes the need for site surveys and network design, providing full coverage in industrial environments that can be deployed quickly and easily managed by an enterprise IT team.

To learn more, visit www.xcomran.com

About Skydio

Skydio is the leading U.S.-based drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight, leveraging breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by public safety, government, utility, and enterprise customers. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in San Mateo, California.

Founded in 2014, Skydio is trusted by industry leaders and backed by top investors and strategic partners, including Andreessen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA. For more information, visit skydio.com

Discover more from sUAS News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Source

]]> Decision on Taking Countermeasures Against U.S. Military Companies and Senior Executives https://borntodrone.org/decision-on-taking-countermeasures-against-u-s-military-companies-and-senior-executives/ Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:36:51 +0000 https://www.suasnews.com/?p=99310

(Issued on October 10, 2024 as Decree of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China No.13, effective as of October 10, 2024)

Recently, the U.S. made an announcement on providing substantial military assistance to China’s Taiwan region. This seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, interferes in China’s internal affairs, and undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Pursuant to Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 15 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Countering Foreign Sanctions, China hereby decides to take countermeasures against the following U.S. military companies and senior executives:

For the three companies as listed in the attached List of Targets of Countermeasures, i.e., Edge Autonomy Operations LLC, Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. and Skydio Inc.:

Their movable and immovable properties, and other kinds of assets within China shall be frozen; 

All organizations and individuals within China shall be prohibited from engaging in transaction, cooperation and other activities with them.

For the 10 senior executives as listed in the attached List of Targets of Countermeasures, i.e., Steven Roger Rudder, Founder, Stick Rudder Enterprises LLC; James William Ickes II, Vice President, Sierra Nevada Corporation; David Keith Sutton, Director for Asia, Lockheed Martin; Yeong-Tae Pak, Vice President, AeroVironment; Patrick Edward Jankowski, Director, Strategy & Policy INDOPACIFIC Programs, Northrop Grumman Corporation; John Purvis, Former Chief Executive Officer, Edge Autonomy Operations LLC; Josh Brungardt, Chief Operating Officer, Edge Autonomy Operations LLC; Christopher Douglas Kastner, President and Chief Executive Officer, Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.; Adam Bry, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Skydio Inc.; and Tom Moss, General Manager, APAC, Skydio Inc.:

Their movable and immovable properties, and other kinds of assets within China shall be frozen.

All organizations and individuals within China shall be prohibited from engaging in transaction, cooperation and other activities with them.

They shall be denied visas or entry into China (including Hong Kong and Macao).

This decision shall come into force as of October 10, 2024.

Appendix: List of Targets of Countermeasures 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

October 10, 2024   

Appendix

List of Targets of Countermeasures

I. Companies

1. Edge Autonomy Operations LLC

2. Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.

3. Skydio Inc.

II. Senior Executives

1. Steven Roger Rudder, male, Founder, Stick Rudder Enterprises LLC

2. James William Ickes II, male, Vice President, Sierra Nevada Corporation

3. David Keith Sutton, male, Director for Asia, Lockheed Martin

4. Yeong-Tae Pak, male, Vice President, AeroVironment

5. Patrick Edward Jankowski, male, Director, Strategy & Policy INDOPACIFIC Programs, Northrop Grumman Corporation

6. John Purvis, male, Former Chief Executive Officer, Edge Autonomy Operations LLC

7. Josh Brungardt, male, Chief Operating Officer, Edge Autonomy Operations LLC

8. Christopher Douglas Kastner, male, President and Chief Executive Officer, Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.

9. Adam Bry, male, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Skydio Inc.

10. Tom Moss, male, General Manager, APAC, Skydio Inc.

Discover more from sUAS News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Source

]]> Skydio and KDDI enter into capital and business alliance https://borntodrone.org/skydio-and-kddi-enter-into-capital-and-business-alliance/ Mon, 13 May 2024 10:17:05 +0000 https://www.suasnews.com/?p=97586

Skydio, Inc. (Headquarters: California, USA, CEO: Adam Bry, hereinafter referred to as Skydio) and KDDI Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Makoto Takahashi, hereinafter referred to as KDDI) announced on May 7, 2024. In Japan, we concluded a capital and business alliance (hereinafter referred to as the Alliance). As a global leader in autonomous control technology for drones, Skydio uses Visual Slam technology ( Note 1), which enables real-time spatial understanding using AI image processing , to provide drones that fly safely autonomously while automatically avoiding obstacles.

In Japan, it is being widely used for inspections of infrastructure facilities such as bridges and steel towers, as well as indoor and outdoor patrols. The latest model, the Skydio

This partnership will utilize KDDI’s latest communication technology including 5G, KDDI Smart Drone Co., Ltd.’s (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Masafumi Hirono, hereinafter referred to as “KDDI Smart Drone”) drone operation management technology, Skydio Combines drones with autonomous flight performance. This makes it possible to streamline inspection and monitoring operations and quickly collect information in the event of a disaster.

By proposing these ideas to various local governments and companies, we will work to use drones to solve social issues such as labor shortages, aging infrastructure, and increasingly severe disasters. Additionally, KDDI will acquire exclusive sales rights for Skydio products in 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) . As Skydio’s primary partner, KDDI will leverage the KDDI Group’s global sales channels and work with Skydio to expand the drone business globally.

■Background

In Japan, social issues include a labor shortage due to a decline in the working-age population, aging infrastructure, regional depopulation and aging, and the 2024 problem in the construction industry.
In particular, Japan’s social infrastructure, which was developed during the period of high economic growth, has a service life of more than 50 years, and various facilities are becoming increasingly obsolete. Periodic inspection and monitoring of social infrastructure is necessary to realize a safe social life, but maintenance is at risk due to labor shortages, etc., and social issues can be solved by improving the efficiency of inspection and monitoring operations using drones.

It is hoped that this will lead to. In addition, in recent years, large-scale disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons have caused severe damage, such as roads being cut off. In the event of a disaster, it is difficult to arrange work vehicles and equipment to check the damage situation, so drones are expected to be used to quickly check the damage situation and rescue victims.

Under the business strategy “New Satellite Growth Strategy,” KDDI is working to expand its business in focus areas, with a focus on core businesses that promote data-driven practices and social implementation of generative AI based on 5G communications. The drone business, which is included in “Orbit2 (mobility),” which is one of the business areas aiming for growth, focuses on KDDI smart drones and provides communication and operation management to realize advanced drone utilization such as remote autonomous flight. We are developing systems, data analysis systems, etc.
Skydio and KDDI have entered into this partnership in order to globally accelerate efforts to solve social issues through the social implementation of drone utilization, including remote autonomous flight.

■Purpose and details of the partnership

Skydio and KDDI will work on the following initiatives to realize the social implementation of drone utilization.

  • (1)Building and deploying solutions that combine Skydio’s drone technology with KDDI Group’s communications and data analysis technology.
  • (2)Global expansion of Skydio’s products to the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) ( Note 2 ) and other regions by utilizing the KDDI Group’s global sales channels . (Limited to sales to private companies, etc.)

■Skydio, Inc. Overview

  • (1) Trade name:Skydio, Inc.
  • (2) Business details:Development and sales of autonomous flying drones
  • (3) Year of establishment:2014
  • (4) Head office location: San Mateo, California, USA
  • (5) Representative:CEO Adam Bry
  • (6) Website: https://www.skydio.com/

■KDDI Corporation Overview

  • (1) Trade name:KDDI Corporation
  • (2) Business details:Telecommunications business
  • (3) Date of establishment: June 1984
  • (4) Head office location:2-3-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
  • (5) Representative: Makoto Takahashi, Representative Director, President and CEO
  • (6) Website: https://www.kddi.com/

■Overview of KDDI Smart Drone Co., Ltd.

  • (1) Trade name:KDDI Smart Drone Co., Ltd.
  • (2) Business details:Drone business
  • (3) Date of establishment: January 27, 2022
  • (4) Head office location: Toranomon 1-chome MG Building 6F, 1-16-16 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
  • (5) Representative: Masafumi Hirono, Representative Director and President
  • (6) Website: https://kddi.smartdrone.co.jp/
  1. Note 1)This technology uses cameras and image sensors to simultaneously estimate its own position and grasp the surrounding space, enabling drones to fly autonomously without relying on instructions from the pilot.
  2. Note 2)11 countries: South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Mongolia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Cambodia.
  • *The information contained in this article is current as of the date of publication.
    Please note that information such as product and service prices, service content and specifications, and contact information may change without notice.

I like all the detail on this (ed)

Source

]]> This Memorial Day, Skydio is Saying “Thank You” to our Veterans & First Responders https://borntodrone.org/this-memorial-day-skydio-is-saying-thank-you-to-our-veterans-first-responders/ Sat, 28 May 2022 05:44:50 +0000 https://www.suasnews.com/?p=85420

Every Memorial Day, Americans honor the men and women who have given their lives to protect our freedom and come to our aid — both at home and abroad. We at Skydio honor that sacrifice and are unendingly grateful for their courage and their selflessness.

Supporting our troops and first responders has always been a priority here at Skydio. We’re proud to have military veterans from every branch of service on our team, are proud to support veteran drone pilots through our Disabled Veteran Vehicle Scholarship program, and have had the great privilege of partnering with the U.S. Army in its Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record. Through the SRR Program, soldiers are equipped with the world’s most advanced autonomous military drone technology, better preparing them for safe and successful missions.

Skydio Military Discount code

Today, we’re excited to build on that support by introducing a new Military + First Responder discount program. We are pleased to offer all military service members, veterans and first responders $100 off any Skydio 2+ Kit on shop.Skydio.com. It’s a small, but important way to say “thank you” to those who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country and our communities.

Skydio X2 military drone

Whether our drones are facilitating missions on the battlefield or documenting memories in your own backyard, those of us at Skydio are grateful to serve the heroes who so selflessly serve others.

For more information about the exclusive Military + First Responder Discount program, please refer to the FAQ on Skydio’s support site.

Source

]]> Skydio – Field Support Representative https://borntodrone.org/skydio-field-support-representative/ Sun, 02 May 2021 06:36:20 +0000 https://www.suasnews.com/?p=78034

Skydio is the leading US drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial transportation. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, and operational excellence to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users – from action sports enthusiasts to first responders.

About the team:

The Customer Success team is a growing international team that provides the broader organization and our customers with enablement services to ensure that our customers can get the most value out of their UAS. Reporting to the Manager- Federal Programs within the Customer Success team, the Field Support Representative will primarily interface with the Federal Sales team, Customer Support and Program Management to support our federal customers.

About the role:

We are looking for a highly-motivated and technical individual with UAS experience who is comfortable interfacing with Department of Defense customers as well as other Federal and marque enterprise customers to provide best-in-class technical and logistics support. By taking ownership of customer relationships in the field and collecting feedback, you will be a trusted partner and liaison between Program Management, Product, Support and Engineering. You will advise both Skydio and the Customer, expediting the product feedback communication loop and helping manage the customer repair and maintenance workstream.

How you’ll make an impact:

  • Work closely with internal teams to become an expert on Skydio’s products, processes, specifications, and product roadmap.
  • Develop field support processes that define and accelerate our escalation and debugging workflows.
  • Reduce the number of technical escalations into engineering groups by developing effective triage and resolution techniques.
  • Develop and maintain an advanced level of proficiency in troubleshooting by becoming a certified Skydio UAS Operator and Trainer.
  • Provide on-the-job (OJT) training to customers in the areas of maintenance and operation techniques relevant to the repair of UAS aircraft and equipment, including associated test equipment, with special attention given to adjustment, calibration, spares recommendation, trouble-shooting and inspection methods.
  • Work to develop or improve written inspection procedures, drawings and other instructions to perform and help customers inspect and maintain their fleets.
  • Provide on-site company representation and technical support to customers and initiate corrective actions for maintenance, repair and replacement issues.

What makes you a good fit:

Requirements

  • Ability to travel up to 75%+ with potential international travel.
  • Valid U.S. passport or ability to obtain.
  • Active Secret or Top-Secret Security Clearance or ability to obtain.
  • U.S. Citizenship.

Experience & Skills

  • 3+ years experience as a Field Support Representative operating on, repairing and maintaining UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) for large clients, preferably federal or military customers.
  • Adept at technical troubleshooting, problem-solving, and are familiar with triage and escalation workflows.
  • Assertive self-starter with excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
  • OCONUS (deployed) military experience is strongly preferred.
  • Familiarity with RMA, spares, logistics or other repair workflows is preferred.
  • Experience in Linux operating systems is preferred.
  • Experience with military standard maintenance practices is preferred.
  • Existing or prior security clearance is preferred.
  • Creative thinking with the ability to multitask.
  • Unwavering professionalism.

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multi-disciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

As such, we do not make hiring or other employment-related decisions on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, age, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, generic information or characteristics, veteran, military or family status, or other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

Apply here

Source

]]>