It has always been hard for bike riders, snowboarders and rock climbers to record their own experiences. The second-generation Skydio 2 carries abilities like avoiding trees, mapping out the world using 12 different cameras and predicting the subject’s path of movement. Skydio-2 promises a flagship-level camera without the premium price tag. As people are still interested in capturing adventurous moments, and plenty of them buy GoPros for that reason. That’s where Skydio’s self-flying R2 fits in: It gives you a cinematic perspective you can’t get with a GoPro strapped to your handlebars or helmet.
“It’s great to see more companies entering the industry and offering unique products,” DJI said in a statement. “Automated features like this are incredibly popular with our customers and DJI has been using items like ActiveTrack and APAS [Advanced Pilot Assistance System] for several years now.”
A Crash-Proof Drone
It’s still got a 4K camera, as seen on the predecessor model, but the new 12-megapixel Sony IMX477 sensor produces better video and photo quality in part because of a wide 13-stop dynamic range. It’ll shoot up to 60fps at 4K resolution and 120fps at 1080p. Furthermore, instead of being tied to your phone, it can now fly out up to 3.5 kilometers. Compared to the original one, the second-gen drone is now 50% smaller, 50% lighter, 50% quieter and has 43% more battery life as well. The best part is that it can fly longer without crashing into anything.
The lower price brings Skydio into the reach of drone enthusiasts, while its technology “removes the stress and fear of crashing,” Skydio CEO and co-founder Adam Bry said. Moreover, inside the office, there is an actual space where drones run through both real and simulated flight experiences. “We test every single drone that goes out,” says Bry. “We want to guarantee high quality.”
Skydio 2 costs half the price of a DJI Mavic
Skydio said “it’s the first drone that’s safe enough that I could hand my three-year-old the controller, and it’s willing to back up that promise with a warranty: if you manage to crash it while flying within the company’s Safe Flight guidelines (not at night, not in rain or fog or high winds, etc.), it will repair or replace your drone for free.” Talking about the price, it is half the cost of the original and more competitive DJI’s Mavic drones due to Trump’s tariff in force. Skydio 2 costs $999 (₹71,578) without a controller.
It will not be so easy to buy one of these due to the quantity restrictions put by the company. Skydio had begun taking preorders since October 1, 2019, for a $100 (₹7165) deposit, with drones scheduled to ship in November 2019 at the earliest.
