Skydio X2 Autonomous Drone Color/Thermal User Guide

: June 9, 2024
: Skydio

Skydio X2 Autonomous Drone Color Thermal

HARDWARE OVERVIEW

Skydio X2D

Chassis
Navigation camera (6)
Gimbal
Motor hub and lights (4)
Propeller hub
Propeller blade
clockwise (6) counter-clockwise (6)
Arm (4)
Arm clamp (4)
Antenna
Skydio X2D is available two radio frequency variations:
- one-antenna 1.8 GHz
- two-antennas 5 GHz
  Skydio X2D is available two camera variations:
- Color Electro-Optical Camera only
- Color Electro-Optical and Thermal Infrared Camera
MicroSD memory card ports and seal
USB-C port and seal
Cooling outlet (2)
Hard stop (4)
Battery
Gimbal isolator (3)
Thermal camera
Color camera
Gimbal pitch motor
Gimbal roll motor
Cooling inlet
Skydio X2D label
Antenna 1.8 GHz

WARNING: Skydio X2D is not weatherproof. Do not operate in any precipitation, including rain, fog, snow, or similar environments.

Skydio Enterprise Controller

Left joystick
Right joystick
Menu/back button
D-pad
C1 button (customizable)
C2 button (customizable)
RTH (Return to Home) button
Power button
Launch/Land button
Pause button
Controller clamshell
User interface screen
R1 button shutter/record
Right wheel zoom
L1 button boost
Left wheel gimbal tilt
R2 button toggle map
L2 button toggle thermal to color
USB-C port
Cooling fan
Neck-strap and tripod (¼-20) mount

WARNING:
Skydio Enterprise Controller is not weatherproof. Do not operate in any rain, fog, snow, or similar environments. Do not rest the controller in ﬁne sand, dirt or on similar terrain where particles can get trapped in the fan.

Safety Guidelines

Keep your fingers away from moving propellers at all times
Use caution around reflective surfaces (still water, mirrors, etc.) and small obstacles (thin branches, utility lines, ropes, chain link fencing, etc.)
Skydio X2D does not avoid moving objects or cars
Skydio X2D is not weatherproof – don’t fly in rain, snow, fog, high winds, etc
Before flying over water, ensure your drone has GPS lock. Launch and land your drone over a dry surface.
Skydio X2D obstacle avoidance is off during GPS Night Flight mode and can be impaired when in low light & poor visibility. Fly with extreme caution under these conditions
Clean all of the cameras so Skydio X2D can see clearly
Check your propellers for damage before flying
Follow all civil aviation authority regulations, as well as any applicable local and federal laws

PRE-FLIGHT

Charge

Skydio X2D
Skydio Dual Charger is capable of simultaneously providing current to two batteries. However, it will prioritize fully charging the battery with the highest charge level. Allow approximately two hours to fully charge batteries.

Step 1 – Slide one or both batteries down the rails onto the Dual Charger
- magnets will engage properly seating the battery
Step 2 – Connect the provided USB-C cable and the 65 W power adapter
Step 3 – Plug the power adapter into the Dual Charger and a 100-240 V power source
- flashing lights indicate charging
- no light indicates that the charge is complete

WARNING: Avoid exposure to extreme hot or cold temperatures. Follow instructions for battery storage located in the X2D Operator Manual..
X2D battery charge levels
The current charge level is accessed by pressing the power button on the battery. The battery charge level is indicated by the lights:

Skydio Enterprise Controller

Connect your Skydio Enterprise Controller to the USB-C charging cable and 65 W adapter. The lights on the front of the controller will begin to flash blue when the unit is charging, as well as a single light next to the USB-C charging port. A charge level will display on the controller screen.

When charging is complete the lights will be solid blue for 1 minute and then turn off.

Skydio Enterprise Controller charge levels
The current charge level will display on the front of the controller or can be accessed by pressing the power button. The charge level is indicated by the lights:

Deploy

Step 1 — Unfold X2D WARNING: The propeller blades are sharp. Handle with care.
- Release the 4 arm clamps
- Lift the motor arms out and away from the chassis
- Listen and feel for a click
- Return the 4 arm clamps to the locked position
- Ensure that the blue marks align
Step 2 — Verify microSD memory cards are installed
Verify that 2 UHS Speed Class 3 (or faster) microSD memory cards are inserted in the memory card slots located on the left side of the vehicle
- Logs card – supports future software offerings
- Media card – stores all media captured during ﬂight To offload your media – connect X2D to a computer using the USB-C cable or remove the card and insert in to a microSD card reader.
Step 3 — Insert battery
Slide the battery on rails towards the camera until the magnets engage
Step 4 — Release antenna
Gently push the antenna inward to release and guide it into a vertical position
Step 5 — Power on Skydio X2D
Press and hold the power button on the battery for 3 seconds

Skydio Enterprise Controller

Step 1 — Open the controller
The antenna is embedded in the controller lid—use caution when opening
Step 2 — Power on
Press and hold the power button for 3 seconds
Step 3 — Activate Skydio Enterprise app
- Read and accept the Purchase Terms
- Set a password to unlock your Controller every time you power on or wake it from a sleep state. WARNING: The password cannot be recovered or reset. Ensure that your password is entered correctly and is written down and stored in a safe location.
Step 4 — Pair the devices
- Power on X2D and Enterprise Controller
- Connect the Controller to X2D using the USB-C cable
- Wait approximately 15 seconds
- Verify that your Skydio X2D was paired
- Select the INFO menu and your drone name will be listed under PAIRED DRONE

Encryption

Before you can use the encryption feature on your X2D, you need to ﬁrst provision the vehicle using the security key. You only need to complete this step once.
To set up your vehicle for encryption:

Step 1 – Power on Skydio X2D
Step 2 – Insert the security key
- into the USB-C port on the vehicle
- the lights on the key will begin blinking
Step 3 – Remove the security key when the lights on the key turn off
- Skydio X2D is now provisioned for encryption

Pre-ﬂight Checklist

Inspect chassis – inspect the vehicle chassis to ensure it is free of damage.
Inspect motor arms – verify that they are free of damage and assembled properly. When assembled and viewing the drone head-on, arms should be parallel to the chassis.
Inspect battery – Skydio X2D uses magnets to seat the battery that may attract metallic debris. Visually inspect the battery and connector pins to ensure they are free of debris and damage. Verify the battery is fully seated in the vehicle prior to takeoff.
Inspect propelle rs – Ensure that propellers are ﬁrmly attached and free of nicks, cracks, and damage. Do not ﬂy with damaged propellers. Fan propellers out so that the blades are separated.
Clean cameras lenses – use a clean microﬁber cloth to ensure that all cameras are dust and smudge-free before every ﬂight.
Inspect motor hubs – ensure that they are free of damage and debris.
Inspect gimbal – ensure that it moves freely.

FLIGHT

Joystick controls

Skydio Enterprise Controller joystick controls are set to Mode 2:

left stick controls height and rotation
right stick controls forward, backward, and side to side motion

Flight controls

Launch

Find a clear area to launch
Place X2D on a ﬂat, stable surface
Select the launch button on the Fly screen or
Press and hold the Launch/Land button on the Controller
X2D will arm and ascend to 10 ft (3 m) and hover in place

Return

Select the Home button on the Fly screen or
Press and hold the Return button on the Controller
- X2D will return to the Launch Point, Controller location, or Home Point if one was set

Land

Pilot X2D over a safe landing location free of obstacles
Select and hold the Land button on the screen or
Press and hold the Launch/Land button on the Controller
- X2D will descend with full obstacle avoidance to 10 ft (3 m) above ground level
- below 10 ft (3 m) all obstacle avoidance is disabled
- nudge forward, backward, left, or right using the Controller
- Cancel landing by pushing the left joystick forward

Obstacle avoidance

Skydio X2D uses six 4K navigation cameras and a main subject camera for visual navigation resulting in unparalleled 360° obstacle avoidance.
Skydio X2D will maintain a distance of 34 in (86 cm) away from objects (measured from the propeller to the obstacle).
With the purchase of the Autonomy Enterprise Foundation software add-on for your Skydio X2D, you can reduce your obstacle margin in ﬂight, enabling up close object inspection.
WARNING: If this is your ﬁrst ﬂight with Skydio X2D, Skydio recommends ﬂying with a full obstacle margin during the day.

GPS night ﬂight

Skydio strongly recommends inexperienced pilots ﬂy during daytime hours or in brightly lit conditions to get comfortable with the system before attempting to ﬂy at night.
WARNING:
GPS Night Flight mode requires ﬂying without obstacle avoidance and may drift slightly. Take extra caution when ﬂying in this mode and do not stand near the vehicle.

Emergency behavior

Low battery
X2D will assess the altitude and distance from the Launch/Home Point and alert you when it is time to return home. X2D will begin a series of notiﬁcations and actions to ensure time for a safe landing:

Two-minute warning – ﬂy to a safe location and land
After the two-minute countdown – the X2D will automatically land
- you will be able to nudge X2D during landing to avoid any obstacles

Lost connection
Establishing lost signal connection return behaviors is a critical component in pre-ﬂight planning to ensure that your Skydio X2D returns safely and lands in an accessible location.

Wait before Return – specify the amount of time that you want X2D to wait before it initiates a return ﬂight, allowing time to reconnect.
Land Once Returned
- Enabled (default): X2D will return, hover for a speciﬁed amount of time, and then land
- Disabled: X2D will hover in place until it runs out of battery
Wait Before Land – specify the amount of time between 0 to 300 seconds (default – 240 seconds) that you want X2D to wait before landing. Only available when Land Once Return is toggled on.

REPLACING PROPELLERS

Replace propeller blades

A routine preﬂight inspection should include the propellers to ensure that they are in good working condition. Skydio recommends replacing your propellers after 100 hours of ﬂight time or whenever you notice any damage for optimal performance. Replace all propellers in the hub, even if only one is damaged, to reduce any potential variations and to make it easier to track propeller ﬂight time. Propellers are matched to maximize performance and robustness. You will need:

Clockwise (CW) propellers
Counter-clockwise (CCW) propellers
Propeller screws
Torque driver

WARNING:
Propeller blades with cracks, dents, or bends should be replaced immediately. Do not ﬂy with damaged propellers as serious bodily harm or injury may occur. Propeller blades are sharp. Do not replace your while the vehicle is powered on.

Step 1 – Remove propellers from the motor hub
- Hold the motor hub to stabilize
- Unscrew the propeller screw
- Slide the propellers out of the hub
- Replace all three propellers in that hub from the same replacement kit
- Dispose the removed propellers
Step 2 – Attach new propellers blades
- Find the markings that match the propeller hub and install with those markings facing up to ensure that the propellers are in the correct direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) and orientation for the motor.
- Hold the motor hub to stabilize
- Slide the new propeller into the hub
- Insert a new screw – do not reuse screws even if they look to be in good condition
- Use the torque driver to fasten the screw clockwise until you hear a click
Step 3 – Inspect your propeller blade installation
- Screw threads extend slightly beyond the bottom of the propeller hub
- Dot patterns match between propeller blades and hub
- Propellers rotate smoothly and do not bind on the hub spokes

WARNING: Failure to match the markings on the propeller to those on the propeller hub is a safety hazard and may result in potential serious damage to the vehicle and serious bodily harm or injury to you and bystanders.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For all the latest information about Skydio and our products,
visit www.skydio.com
Skydio Safety and Operating Guide
www.skydio.com/safety
Skydio X2D Operator Manual
www.skydio.com/getstartedX2
For legal, warranty and intellectual property information, visit www.skydio.com/legal
WARNING: Failure to follow any instructions in this Quick Reference Guide or in the X2D Operator Manual can void the limited warranty