Women Who Drone’s Elena Reviews the Skydio 2 Drone
Skydio, inc is a drone and software production company that specializes in autonomous drones. Their debut drone, R1, launched in 2018 and made a name for itself by being the first drone to feature Skydio’s Autonomy Engine. After several major software updates, the R1 was able to autonomously track cars, fly autonomously over large bodies of water, and more. During the summer of 2019, the R1 sold out, and now, Skydio is back with a new drone that raises the bar for autonomous technology.
In this video on the Women Who Drone YouTube channel, Elena reviews the Skydio 2 drone sent to her by Skydio themselves. In her review, Elena notes that the Skydio 2 is a light quadcopter with interesting propeller placement, 7 cameras, and a magnetic battery.
Her package also came with a Skydio Beacon, which launched alongside their new drone. The Beacon is an accessory that uses GPS tracking so that the Skydio 2 will follow you wherever you go, even if you’re out of sight. Pilots can fly their new drone using the Beacon’s simple interface. Image Credit: Skydio, Inc.
Test #1: Running
For Elena’s first test, she runs while holding the Beacon. We can see the drone follow her from the front, back, and side. So far, she’s impressed with how well it followed her. The take-off and landing were smooth, and she thinks it stacks up against her other drones
Test #2: In the Woods
Elena’s next test takes place in the woods. While she’s walking and running through the woods with the Beacon, the Skydio 2 tracks her and navigates its way around the trees. She’s surprised that it hasn’t crashed and is impressed with its performance.
Test #3: Riding a Bike
In Elena’s third and final test, she tasks the Skydio 2 with following her while she rides her bike. In this test, the Beacon is in her pocket. Regardless, Skydio 2 is able to follow her from the back, lect, right, and front. From the drone's footage, you can see it tracking her using a light blue circle.
Skydio describes their drone as “ the most uncrashable drone on the planet”. It uses a new deep learning system “to understand the environment around it”, which helps it to anticipate and avoid obstacles. We can see from Elena’s test that the Skydio 2 just might live up to that. Buy your Skydio 2 here: https://bit.ly/3gddZP9. If you’re interested in seeing more drone and drone accessory reviews, check out the Women Who Drone YouTube channel.
I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron
