JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- U.S. Air Force liaisons from the drone manufacturer, Skydio, met with Airmen across Team McChord to demonstrate the benefits of their fifth-generation X10D drone system at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, April 23, 2025.
During the demonstration, Airmen were able to learn a great deal about the system in addition to testing the drone capabilities themselves. The demonstration included various tasks for the drone, including scanning large sections of a C-17 Globemaster III in a hangar and testing how quickly the drone can ascend hundreds of feet up in the air. The system comes with a controller showcasing a large screen displaying the drone’s view, manually controllable joysticks and several other innovative features. The X10D, which boasts artificial intelligence-driven autonomous capabilities, is equipped with computer vision neural networks, machine learning and a dedicated Nvidia graphics processing unit all to optimize scanning proficiency and enhanced ease of use.
In 2024, the X10D was added to the Department of Defense’s Blue Uncrewed Aerial Systems Cleared List. This highlights the drone’s abilities to meet or exceed the necessary security and capability requirements as outlined by the Defense Innovation Unit. This designation makes the procurement of the drone for governmental units easier.
During demonstration discussions about the system’s benefits, Peyton Knippel, Skydio’s director of Air Force business, Uddit Patel, Skydio’s Air Force program manager, and Taylor Mitcham, a Skydio senior solutions engineer, spoke to the role the X10D would have in reducing total time spent completing aircraft inspections to approximately 40 minutes. The system also proved advantageous by highlighting specific aircraft repair needs before they became a larger issue at other Air Force bases where the program had already been implemented. The detailed level of accuracy provided by the system could also prove invaluable during adverse weather conditions, as is common near the Puget Sound, where the time and risk spent to safely inspect, for example the tallest parts of the C-17 Globemaster III, could be mitigated.
“Following mission success at other Air Force bases, Skydio is excited to partner with JBLM to drive innovation and operational readiness through our integrated drone solutions,” said Patel. “Our technology is purpose-built to enhance mission effectiveness — from accelerating aircraft inspections and strengthening base security to advancing special warfare capabilities for the future fight.”
Also attending the demonstration was U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Thompson, 62d Maintenance Group commander, whose support of the drone program helped enable the Skydio team to create and execute the event at JBLM.
“The Skydio X10D system represents a significant jump in our ability to advance operations across JBLM,” said Thompson. “From force protection to aircraft maintenance and mission planning, this technology leverages effective time and cost savings in addition to higher levels of situational awareness for our Airmen. I’ve been a strong advocate for this drone system because it directly supports our priorities of innovation and ensuring consistent mission readiness. I want to thank the Skydio team for bringing the system out and giving our teams a hands-on look at its capabilities. It’s clear this platform has the potential to transform how we operate.”