Spain Selects U.S. Firm Skydio to Supply Surveillance Drones

Spain's Ministry of Defence has chosen U.S. drone manufacturer Skydio to provide autonomous drones for military use, partnering with Spanish defense distributor Paukner Group under a contract worth up to €18 million.

The Spanish Armed Forces will receive the Skydio X10D, a small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The drone features onboard artificial intelligence, advanced autonomy, and modular sensors.

The X10D model includes capabilities to maintain operations despite GPS or communication jamming. It uses visual inertial odometry (VIO) for navigation in GPS-denied environments and offers channel-switching through a multiband radio.

Equipped with high-resolution visual and radiometric thermal cameras, the Skydio X10D can detect objects, vehicles, and humans at long distances. The drone is the first sUAS to integrate the Teledyne FLIR Boson+ sensor, providing thermal imaging with 640x512 resolution and enhanced sensitivity.

With a maximum flight speed of 45 mph and deployment time under 40 seconds, the Skydio X10D is suited for rapid-response missions. It also features onboard computing to perform tasks like 2D mapping, 3D modeling, subject tracking, and mobile overwatch without external systems.

The Spanish Army will use the X10D drones for force protection, reconnaissance, facility security, and target acquisition, with additional roles in crowd control and command post support.