American drone manufacturer adds fixed-wing aircraft, purpose-built software platforms, and upgraded hardware to its family of flying robots

SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Skydio, America’s leading drone manufacturer, today announced F10 Lightrunner, its first fixed-wing aircraft, alongside MegaDock, Asset Command, Security Command, and a series of platform upgrades at its annual Ascend conference in Summerlin, Nevada.

F10 Lightrunner extends Skydio’s robot offerings beyond the quadcopter for the first time to allow our customers in critical industries to fly farther and faster to respond to emergencies and issues that are necessary to keep our communities safe and our power on. The aircraft is designed to launch and land from a MegaDock with a robotic arm and fly at speeds up to 100 mph with a 30-mile flight radius, giving a single launch location coverage of nearly 3,000 square miles. F10 is deploying to customers in 2027.

“F10 Lightrunner is the most advanced fixed-wing drone that has ever existed,” said Adam Bry, CEO of Skydio. “It will bring the benefits of Drone as First Responder and fully automated drone inspection of critical infrastructure to a scale that’s never been possible before, with 100 mph speed and up to a 30-mile coverage radius.”

F10 Lightrunner and MegaDock

F10 launches and lands without a ground crew, using a Robotic Takeoff and Landing (RTOL) system built around a suction-based robotic gripper. MegaDock, the dock built for F10, houses up to five aircraft and supports concurrent missions from a single location. F10 was designed around one of the most critical components, the camera. Its SideEye design positions its camera outside the rotor plane, keeping the aircraft’s wing from blocking the video, allowing pilots continuous coverage that keeps their focus on the mission for safer outcomes. Foresight, Skydio’s autonomy software built for fixed-wing flight, plans and adjusts F10’s flight path in real time to reduce the strain typically placed on pilots. Additionally, the Skydio Airspace Assurance System (SAAS) eases use even more by maintaining regulatory compliance and collision avoidance throughout each flight.

Asset Command and Security Command

Skydio also introduced two new software platforms, Asset Command and Security Command. Both of these platforms extend off the model the company has created through its DFR Command offering to provide systems that uniquely support the critical industries we serve. 

Asset Command is built for organizations managing large portfolios of fixed infrastructure, importing asset data directly from GIS and CMMS systems to plan and route inspections automatically. Critical infrastructure providers including AEP, Chevron, Dominion Energy, and Southern Company have been early partners in its development. 

Security Command turns fleets of drones into a continuous security capability, dispatching a drone with live video to provide security teams with aerial awareness that will help inform better decision-making and reduce the opportunity for individuals to enter dangerous situations. 

“We’re now tapping the true potential of software-defined, autonomous, dock-based drones with industry-specific applications for public safety, energy infrastructure, and physical site security,” said Bry. “Each Command brings together specialized autonomy, customized workflows, and deep integrations with the systems our customers already use, making drones easier to adopt and integrate than ever before, and orders of magnitude more effective once they’re operating them.”

Both platforms are available for purchase starting at Ascend, with general availability in early 2027.

Additional Announcements

Skydio also introduced a suite of products and applications that will enhance our customers’ abilities and provide upgraded tools to educate their communities. 

• Controller 2, a hand-flown controller with a 7-inch, sunlight-readable display, kickstand, and 5.5-hour battery life; 
• a new Skydio Mobile App for secure live-video sharing; 
• camera software updates including ThermalBoost and Low-Light Enhance, arriving this winter and next spring respectively. 
• The company’s Transparency Dashboard, used by public safety agencies to publish flight and policy data to their communities, is being rebuilt with expanded transparency tools rolling out later this year.

About Skydio

Skydio, the largest U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in flying robots, leverages breakthrough AI-backed autonomy to create drones that are easier to operate, safer to fly, and more capable in complex environments. Skydio systems are trusted by every branch of the U.S. military, the armed forces of 29 allied nations, and more than 4,000 agencies and organizations across the U.S. in the public safety and critical infrastructure sectors.

Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the United States from its headquarters in San Mateo, California. For more information, follow Skydio on LinkedIn or visit skydio.com.

press@skydio.com

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SOURCE Skydio