This Skydio 2 drone review looks at the outstanding features, specifications, follow me technology and frequently asked questions on this new drone on the market.
It’s a small quadcopter with a lot of new innovative drone technology. The Skydio 2 has perhaps the best follow you tracking mode of any drone on the market today, in it’s price range.
The Skydio 2 follow you drone has obstacle detection and collision avoidance on all sides. It also has a terrific camera. To fit all this technology into a small drone makes the Skydio 2 a tremendous feat of engineering and elegant design.
In our Skydio 2 review, we give you a nice overview of this quadcopter’s outstanding features and specifications, along with terrific videos.
Throughout the post, we answer your frequently asked questions, such as the Skydio 2 range, distance, max height, weight, altitude, frequency, sensors, transmission, gimbal, cameras and much more.
Skydio 2 Design Purpose
The Skydio 2 was designed to be the easiest drone to fly and also the least likely drone to crash, having collision avoidance sensor technology on all sides. It was also designed to be the best follow you tracking drone on the market.
The Skydio 2 flies super smooth and has a terrific camera, allowing it to be used for professional aerial filming.
With all this technology, the Skydio 2 has many uses. The Skydio 2 Enterprise version is integrated with DroneDeploy software, allowing it to be used for inspections, 3D photogrammetry and analytics.
First Responders love it’s small size, flight precision and collision avoidance.
Skydio 2 Review – Top Follow Me Drone
The Skydio 2 follow drone were introduced to the public on October 1st, 2019. This drone caught the eye of many drone enthusiasts and professionals very quickly. Here is the Skydio 2 introduction video, which give you a nice overview of it’s features.
Then we will take a good look at the Skydio 2 features, specifications and the frequently asked questions on the Skydio 2.
What is the Skydio 2 Drone Weight?
The Skydio 2 takeoff weight is 775 grams (27.33 ounces).
This Skydio is small and is pretty light at 775 grams. Even though it is very light, the Skydio 2 flies exceptionally smooth, even in windy conditions.
All the latest top drones have intelligent gyroscope, IMU and flight systems.
Now, if you are looking for an even lighter drone than the Skydio 2, then you should take a look at the DJI Mavic Mini, which weighs only 249 grams.
What Size Is The Skydio 2 Drone?
The Skydio 2 size with battery is 8.78 x 10.75 x 2.92 inches (223 × 273 × 74 mm) (Length / Width / Height).
Skydio 2 Follow Drone Price? Are There Skydio 2 Bundle Offers Available? Â
Even though the Skydio 2 is new to the market and has a lot of innovative technology, the price is excellent. This is because there is tremendous competition in the drone market.
You can find the latest Skydio 2 prices on the below links.
The Skydio 2 has no Combo offers at present. However you can choose extras such as spare batteries, dual chargers, lens filters, MicroSD cards and carry cases when buying.
The Skydio 2 is not available on Amazon so there are no bundle offers available.
What is the Skydio 2 Drone Flight Time?
The Skydio 2 has a maximum flight time of 23 minutes.
Flight times vary with environmental conditions and flight speed. For example, flying in windy conditions or tracking a fast moving subject will impact battery life.
The Skydio 2 app will show you how much battery life is left during any flight.
Can The Skydio 2 Follow Drone Also Hover?
The Skydio 2 uses both Vision Sensors + GPS signal for precision hovering.
How Fast Can The Skydio 2 Fly?
Skydio 2 Max SpeedÂ
36 mph (58 km/h) flying autonomously or manually, close to sea level with no wind.
Skydio 2 Drone Flight Distance
According to the Skydio 2 documentation, flying in line of sight, with ideal weather conditions, the full flight range, is as follows;
- Skydio range to Smartphone using Skydio app – 656 feet (200 meters)
- Skydio range to Beacon –Â 0.93 miles (1.5 km)
- Skydio range to Remote Controller with Smartphone and Skydio app – 2.17 mile (3.5 km)
NOTE: It is not a good idea to push your drone to the limit of it’s flight range, video transmission range or to the max of it’s battery. When flying into a slight wind, the drone will slow down considerably and may not make it back to its home point. So it is never good to push the drone battery range, flight or video transmission range to its limit. Doing so will likely lead to the drone crashing or getting lost.
Skydio 2 Global Navigation Satellite System
The Skydio 2 use both GPS and GLONASS. The dual satellite system is used by the Skydio 2 to assist with location tracking, precision flying, hovering and return to home.
At any time during flight (autonomously tracking a subject or flying manually), you can easily return the Skydio 2 to your phone’s last known GPS location or to a Home Point, which was set in the Skydio app.
GPS have other great uses on drones such as geographical tagging of aerial photographs for photogrammetry using 3D mapping software.
Skydio 2 Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level
The Skydio 2 max height is 2.84 mile (4.57 km) above sea level.
Can The Skydio 2 Follow Drone Fly In High Winds?
Skydio 2 Max Video Transmission Distance
The Skydio 2 maximum video transmission distance is 2.17 mile (3.5 km), unobstructed and in line of sight using the Remote Controller with the Skydio app connected. The video transmission uses WiFi and the dual GPS / GLONASS.
Here is the full Skydio 2 video transmission distance when flying with Remote Controller, Beacon or Smartphone;
- Skydio range to Smartphone using Skydio app – 656 feet (200 meters)
- Skydio range to Beacon –Â 0.93 miles (1.5 km)
- Skydio rang to Remote Controller with Smartphone and Skydio app – 2.17 mile (3.5 km)
Ad: Check out this superb DJI Mavic 2 Pro deal on Amazon.
Resolution of the Skydio 2 Video Transmission
Remote Controller resolution for streaming live video transmission is HD 720p.
Is The Skydio 2 Waterproof?
The Skydio 2 is not waterproof. There are waterproof drones on the market but the Skydio 2, the beacon, remote controller or accessories are not waterproof.
How To Fly The Skydio 2?
There are 3 ways to fly the Skydio 2;
- Smartphone using Skydio app (Android and IOS)
- Remote Controller with Smartphone connected
- Skydio Beacon
You can also launch and land the Skydio 2 from the palm of your hand.
What Is The Skydio Beacon?
The Skydio 2 Beacon allows you to fly, track subjects and control the quadcopter very easily with one hand. It has a small display so you can view the flight parameters such as GPS, battery levels, tracking intelligent modes and much more.
Is The Skydio 2 Easy To Fly?
The Skydio 2 is so very easy to fly with no real experience required. When flying, it is always best to be in a clear open space away from other people, cars, buildings, aerials and masts etc. Also, make sure there is nothing obstructing the propellers.
It is well recommended to read the Skydio 2 manuals and become very familiar with the quadcopter, remote controller and Skydio app before you start to fly.
The Skydio 2 app has a specific “Learn to Fly” intelligent flight mode where you can learn the basics of how to track subjects and control your Skydio 2.
This next video is a nice introduction and shows you around the Skydio 2, including getting it ready for your first flight.
Skydio 2 Drone Review Continued
How High Can The Skydio 2 Fly?
The height the Skydio 2 can fly depends on which flight mode you’re using and also whether the Skydio 2 is currently tracking a subject or not. Here are the altitude (height) specifications for Skydio 2;
- When flying with just the Skydio app and tracking a subject (not using Controller or Beacon), the maximum height is 26.87 feet (8 meters), if that subject is a vehicle, the maximum height is 53.75 feet (16 meters).
- When the Skydio 2 is not tracking a subject, the current height limitation is 427 feet (130 meters). This capability will be increased to 1640 feet (500 meters), with a software update in early 2020, regardless of which control option is being used.
- In addition to the above specs, when tracking a subject, the Skydio 2 will stay within 32.8 feet (10 meters) of the subject or 65.6 feet (20 meters), if tracking a car.
Note: The above values represent the max height from the controlling device, meaning your phone/Controller or Beacon, not the maximum operational altitude.
Additionally, Skydio 2 has a maximum operational altitude of 15,000 ft (4.572 km) meaning how far above sea level you can fly the drone.
Skydio 2 Return To Home Safety Feature
The Skydio 2 has a very simple Return to Home (RTH) function. When you click the Home button, you will have 2 options to either bring the Skydio 2 back to the original launch position or your present position.
You can also change home points while flying by clicking on the map in the Skydio app. If communication is lost with the Skydio 2 drone, then the last recorded home point is used to land the quadcopter.
Skydio 2 Emergency Landing
The Skydio 2 will automatically land if the battery level reaches a critically low level of 1%.
What Can The Skydio 2 Be Used For?
The Skydio 2 has exceptional flight and camera stabilization. The output from the camera is just terrific for such a small easy to carry drone. Its tracking capabilities are perhaps the best on the market.
This makes the Skydio 2 open to various uses including creating spectacular videos of your adventures. Sports people and teams can use it to film training sessions, to improve on technique or tactics.
The camera is so good, that it can be used for professional videos for marketing hotels, resorts and homes.
With the enterprise version, the Skydio 2 with DroneDeploy app, can be used by First Responders.
DroneDeploy apps also contain waypoints, which make it ideal for site surveying and creating 3D maps. Search and rescue teams will find the Skydio 2 an exceptional drone for their missions.
Drones have so many terrific uses. You can read further on how drones are now being used in our top article entitled best uses for drones.
Skydio 2 Review Of Tracking System
The Skydio 2 has perhaps the best follow you tracking technology of any drone on the market for its size to date.
The Skydio 2 drone uses GPS and visual sensors to know where it is and understand the surrounding. This technology is called the Skydio Autonomy Engine.
This Skydio Autonomy technology utilizes 45 megapixels of visual sensing from 6 x 200 degree color cameras, along with sophisticated software, allowing the Skydio 2 to see everything in every direction in extremely high resolution and clarity.
The computing power behind the Skydio 2 is the NVIDIA Tegra TX2 module. It the fastest, most power efficient embedded AI computing device available.
It has 256 GPU cores and is capable of 1.3 trillion operations a second. This makes the Skydio 2 a real flying supercomputer with an excellent camera.
The Skydio Autonomy Engine takes all the information from the sensors and uses this information for obstacle detection, collision avoidance and following subjects, all at the same time.
What Is The Skydio 2 Height Floor?
The Height Floor is a vital system the Skydio 2 uses when flying and following subjects. It is very important for the performance of the Skydio 2 tracking system.
The Height Floor setting is enabled by default on the Skydio 2. With this setting enabled, the Skydio 2 drone will attempt to remain at least 6 feet (1.83 meters) above the selected subject while in any of the autonomous flight modes.
This helps to create a buffer of space between the Skydio 2 and any moving objects, such as people, animals or vehicles.
Now, it is important to remember that the Height Floor only applies while a subject is being tracked autonomously. If the Skydio 2 is being flown manually, then you have full control over the vehicles height.
The Height Floor can be disabled or the height can also be changed. The reason for disabling would be to increase tracking performance to allow the Skydio 2 drone to fly under low lying obstacles such as branches
You will find all the information on the Height Floor setting in the Skydio 2 user guide.
Does The Skydio 2 Follow Drone Have Obstacle Detection and Collision Avoidance?
Yes. The Skydio 2 has obstacle detection and collision avoidance on all sides. The Skydio Autonomy Engine technology visualizes and calculates what’s happening around the drone. It can then intelligently predict what will happen next and will make accurate decisions multiple times a second.
The Skydio 2 quadcopter uses 6 x 4k cameras to build a 3D map of its surroundings, which will include trees, people, animals, cars, buildings and more.
Notes On Collision Avoidance
The Skydio only avoids obstacles, which are not moving. The Skydio 2 has a Height Floor setting of 6 feet (1.8 meters), which you can raise to make sure the Skydio 2 is flying above moving objects.
Many of the latest drones, including the latest DJI drones and the Skydio 2 fly visually so it will not detect obstacles in low light or darkness.
Also, the Skydio 2 cannot detect obstacles less than 0.5 inches (12 mm) in diameter. So it cannot detect small branches or wires such as telephone or electricity wires.
Obstacle detection and collision avoidance is super technology. You can read further on the latest obstacle detection technology and collision avoidance drones here.
Here is a terrific video showing the Skydio 2 flying indoors and avoiding obstacles.
This next video shows you a test of the Skydio 2 obstacle avoidance technology. What you will notice in this video is the quality of the video. Also, you will notice that the Skydio 2 never loses you. Its tracking is absolutely perfect.
Flying The Skydio 2 Drone Safely
Here is an excellent web page provided by Skydio 2 on flying your Skydio 2 drone safely. It covers flying best practices, checks before you fly, where to fly and much more.
It is very important to read the full user guides and safety instructions, which come with any drone. It is also good to check your own country’s UAS regulations on where you can fly etc.
Skydio 2 Drone Flight Modes Review
Cinematic Skills
With the Skydio 2 app, there is a very good selection of autonomous flight modes, giving you a variety of flight operations for tracking and filming.
The Skydio 2 has 5 cinematic flight modes as follows;
Motion Track: The Skydio 2 will track a subject from a specified angle relative to the subjects direction of motion such as front, side or behind.
Fixed Track: The Skydio 2 will track a subject from a fixed angle regardless of which direction the subject is facing or moving.
Orbit: The Skydio 2 will rotate around the selected subject in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction keeping the subject in the center of the frame.
Cable: You can mark 2 points in the Skydio 2 app and the drone will fly a fixed path from 1 point to the other.
Hover: The Skydio 2 will hover in a fixed position. It will rotate and tilt the camera to look at the subject as they move.
Skydio 2 One-Shots
With One-Shots, the Skydio 2 drone will perform a particular maneuver and then return to the previously selected skill when the shot is complete. This allows you to capture really unique aerial shots.
The Skydio 2 has the following One-Shot intelligent flight modes.
- Dronie: The Skydio 2 drone will fly upward and outward, while continuing to track the subject.
- Rocket: The Skydio will fly straight up over the subject to capture a birds eye view.
- Boomerang: The Skydio 2 rotates around the subject, beginning close flying outward and then returning back in close to the subject.
- Vortex: The Skydio 2 will fly up and outward while rotating around the subject.
Skydio 2 Review Of Camera
The Skydio 2 features an exceptional camera. It uses both the Sony’s IMX577 sensor and the RedDragonâ„¢ QCS605. It is capable of 4k video up to 60 frames per second with HDR.
For still shots, the Skydio 2 has a dedicated photo mode for capturing 12 MP HDR photos with a variety of shooting options, including single, interval and more.
NomiCam tested the cameras on 4 drones including the Skydio 2. The image quality from the Skydio 2 practically matched the DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone, which is a lot more expensive.
NomiCam has over 50 years of experience in camera and flash verification, image quality and system design
NomiCam are equipped with state of the art imaging laboratory helping customers working in mobile, VR/AR, drone, automotive, medical, machine vision, surveillance and spectral imaging to get the best image quality out of their imaging solutions.
Now, here are 2 excellent Skydio 2 footage videos. The output is simply outstanding.
Skydio 2 Camera Specifications
Skydio 2 Camera Specifications
- Sensor: Sony IMX577
- Sensor Active Pixels: 4056 (H) x 3040 (V)
- Lens Aperture: f/2.8
- Lens Focal Length: 20 mm (35 mm format equivalent)
- Lens Depth Of Field: 1 m – ∞
- Electronic Shutter Speed: 1 to 1/1920s
- Still Resolution: 4056 x 3040 (12 MP)
- Still Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW)
- Still Modes: Single and Interval
- Video Format: MPEG 4 (AVC / H.264, HEVC / H.265)
- Bitrate: 100 Mbps
- Dynamic Range 13 stops
Skydio 2 ISO Range
- Video: 100 – 3200
- Photo: 100 – 3200
Skydio 2 Video Resolution
4k UHD: 3840 x 2160 at 24/30/48/60 fps
FHD: 1920 × 1080 at 30/60/120 fps
Are There Skydio 2 ND Lens Filters Available?
The bezel on the Skydio 2 main camera was designed to support Neutral Density filters. Skydio sell a set of lens filters, which use a precisely designed magnetic connection. Here is some information on the PolarPro Cinema Series ND filter set:
- ND 8, 16, and 32 filters, which cover the majority of lighting conditions.
- Filters connect using a strong magnetic system allowing you to quickly switch filters.
- Cinema Series Glass features a low refractive index, color neutrality and outstanding clarity.
Your aerial cinematography will reach professional levels with the use of the various lens filters. Here are 2 excellent articles on using camera lens filters on drones.
Neutral Density Filters For Great Aerial Landscape Photography
Best Camera Filters For Landscape Photography
 Skydio 2 Remote Controller
Skydio 2 partnered with Parrot in the design and technology in the remote controller. However, the Controller is preloaded with Skydio software.
It won’t be compatible with the Parrot Anafi or other Parrot drones.
The maximum length for a smartphone to fit into the Skydio 2 remote controller is 6 inches long (152.4 mm). There is an adapter available for tablet to fit into the Skydio 2 remote controller.
Here are some other specifications on the Skydio 2 remote controller.
- Size Unfolded: 94 x 153 x 71 mm (length x width x height).
- Weight: 386 grams.
- Live Streaming Resolution: HD 720p.
- Battery life: 2.5 hours (Android) and 5.5 hours (iOS).
Skydio 2 Follow Drone Specifications – OtherÂ
Skydio 2 Gimbal Specifications
- Stabilization Mechanical Range: pitch ±124°, roll ±120°, yaw ±12.5°
- Pitch Controllable Range: -110° to +45°
Skydio 2 Drone Battery Specifications
- Size: 64.5 x 121.6 x 38.8 mm (length x width x height)
- Battery Type: Li-ion polymer
- Energy Capacity – 4280 mAh
- Nominal Voltage – 11.4 V
- Max Charging Voltage – 13.05 V
- Weight: 9.87 ounces (280 grams)
Skydio 2 Follow Drone – Other FAQs
How To Turn On The Skydio 2 Drone?
When the battery is fully charged, you then press launch / land button in the Remote Controller, Beacon or Skydio app.
What Software Does The Skydio 2 Use To Fly?
The Skydio 2 follow drone uses the Skydio app. To install and use the Skydio 2 app, your mobile device must meet the following minimum requirements:
iOS
- Check the App Store for compatibility with your specific device.
- Device must be running 64-bit iOS 12 (or higher)
- iPhone 6 (or higher), iPad Air (or higher), iPad Mini 2 (or higher)
- Minimum space on device: 200 MB
Android
- Check Google Play for compatibility with your specific device.
- Device must be running Android 7.0 (or higher)
- Minimum space on device: ~200 MB
Does the Skydio 2 Quadcopter Have Internal Storage?
No. A microSD card is required in order to store images and video footage.
What SD Cards Fit In the Skydio 2 Quadcopter?
The Skydio 2 requires a UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) or faster microSD card to record 4k video.
Example
Does the Skydio 2 Follow Drone Use WiFi Control?
The Skydio 2 uses WiFi to communicate with your phone and other Skydio devices such as the Beacon and Remote Controller.
When you connect the Skydio 2 for the first time, you’ll be prompted to enter your Skydio 2’s WiFi name and password into the Skydio app. Once your phone and Skydio 2 are paired, you will not have to enter the password again.
Where Is the Skydio 2 WiFi Password?
The unique Skydio WiFi network password is on a printed, removable sticker attached to the top of your Skydio 2.
The same Skydio 2 WiFi information is permanently printed inside the battery tray of your drone.
What Comes In The Skydio 2 Follow Drone Box?
When you purchase the Skydio 2, you will receive all the following in the box.
- 1 x Skydio 2 quadcopter
- 1 x Intelligent Flight Battery
- A set of extra propellers
- USB-C data / charging cable
- USB -C power adapter
- Gimbal retaining clip
- Microfiber cloth
- Shoulder strap
- Quick start guide
Skydio 2 Drone Accessories
You would probably need these Skydio 2 extras and accessories to go with your drone.
- Skydio 2 Remote Controller
- Skydio 2 Beacon
- Extra Skydio 2 battery
- Polar Pro Cinema Series ND Filters
- Skydio 2 Dual charger
- Charging power adapter
- SanDisk 128 GB Extreme Micro SD card
Skydio 2 Drone Video Reviews
I will leave you with a few Skydio 2 review videos, which show you the terrific features of this latest drone on the market.
These reviews of the Skydio 2 also include some terrific footage.