Skydio's new ground controller is now reaching customers. On Nov. 8, CEO Adam Bry said on LinkedIn that Controller 2 units are going out, DroneXL reported. The handset works with the company's X10, X10D and R10 aircraft. Skydio first showed it at its Ascend event in September, next to the F10 Lightrunner fixed-wing drone, and formally announced it on Oct. 27.
The new controller has a larger and brighter screen, longer runtime, better weather sealing and a cellular setup that lets agencies use their own carrier. It is also much heavier than the controller it replaces, it is described as NDAA compliant rather than Blue UAS listed, and Skydio has not published a price. Below we cover what changed and what public-safety and enterprise crews give up to get it.
What Skydio Is Shipping
Skydio's announcement calls Controller 2 a field controller for drone pilots. The company lists these features:
- a 7-inch sunlight-readable display
- 5G control
- physical buttons pilots can customize
- an integrated kickstand
- protected control sticks
- HDMI-out and wireless screencasting
- a swappable 5G SIM with a "Bring Your Own Plan" option
It runs the same Skydio Flight Deck software on the X10, X10D and R10, so pilots who move between airframes see one interface.
The technical specifications page gives these details:
- Display: 7-inch TFT LCD, 1920x1200, 60 Hz, 2,000 nits sustained
- Battery: 9,600 mAh, about 5 hours 45 minutes of operating time, 1 hour 25 minutes to charge from 20 to 90 percent
- Weight: 1,530 g
- Ingress protection: IP55
- Storage: 128 GB
- Link range: Connect SL up to 12 km (7.5 mi); Connect MH up to 10 km (6.2 mi); Connect 5G unlimited wherever there is coverage
- Security: NDAA compliant, AES-256 encrypted link, trusted boot
- Regulatory: FAA and EASA Remote ID compliant
DroneXL reports that Controller 2 comes in the box with new X10 and R10 aircraft. For X10D crews who need Microhard radios, there is also a separate Controller 2 MH variant, which Skydio pitches for its ISR Command software.
Controller 2 vs. the X10 Controller
DroneXL compared the new handset with the X10's original controller. Controller 2 improves on it in some areas and is worse in others.
Screen
The X10 controller has a 6.6-inch AMOLED panel at 2340x1080, refreshing at 120 Hz with 1,750 nits peak brightness. Controller 2 switches to a 7-inch LCD at 1920x1200 and 60 Hz, rated at 2,000 nits sustained.
The two brightness numbers measure different things. Peak brightness is a short burst. Sustained brightness is what the panel can hold over time, which is what a pilot staring at the screen in direct sun cares about. Skydio's figure suggests the new screen should stay readable in harsh light. The tradeoff is half the refresh rate and the loss of AMOLED contrast. The new 16:10 aspect ratio is also taller than the old panel's elongated format, which gives more vertical room for video and map overlays.
Runtime
DroneXL says Controller 2 runs about 45 minutes longer than the X10 controller on the same 9,600 mAh battery capacity. The battery capacity is unchanged. Skydio's spec sheet lists about 5 hours 45 minutes. At Ascend, DroneDJ reported a claimed 5.5 hours, so the official figure has gone up slightly since the September preview. For crews working long incidents, searches or perimeter coverage, another three-quarters of an hour may mean one fewer swap or charging stop per shift.
Sealing
Controller 2 is rated IP55, up from IP54 on the X10 controller. Under the IP code, the second digit going from 4 to 5 means protection against water jets, not just splashing. That matters to anyone who flies in rain or hoses down equipment after a hazmat or fire scene.
Weight
This is the main cost. Controller 2 weighs 1,530 g. DroneXL lists the X10 controller at 1,135 g, so the new unit is 395 g heavier, roughly 35 percent more. Skydio has added a kickstand and pitches the ergonomic design, but a pilot holding the controller through a long overwatch will carry the extra weight the whole time. DroneXL notes that none of Skydio's Controller 2 pages explains where the extra weight comes from.
The 5G SIM Question
The swappable 5G SIM and Bring Your Own Plan option are the most practical change for many agencies. Skydio's spec sheet lists Connect 5G range as unlimited wherever there is coverage. That ties the link's reach to cellular coverage instead of radio range.
A removable SIM lets an agency use an approved carrier that already fits its network strategy, or switch carriers when coverage changes from one location to another. The limit is in Skydio's own wording: range depends on coverage. Wherever cellular coverage is weak, the 5G link is only as good as the local network. By comparison, Skydio's own radio link (Connect SL) is rated to 12 km and the Microhard link (Connect MH) to 10 km.
Compliance: NDAA Yes, Blue UAS Unstated
Procurement officers should note one detail. According to DroneXL, the X10, R10 and Dock for X10 have been on the Blue UAS Cleared List since July. The Controller 2 product pages describe the handset as NDAA compliant and list an AES-256 encrypted link and trusted boot, but they do not say it is Blue UAS listed.
Whether that matters depends on the buyer. DroneXL notes the Blue UAS listing put the aircraft within reach of police departments buying with federal grant money, so agencies whose grants or policies point to the Blue UAS list will want to confirm the controller's status before assuming it matches the aircraft. Skydio's published materials do not settle the question.
Still No Price
As of Nov. 8, DroneXL reported that Skydio had not published a price for Controller 2, and the spec page lists none. Buyers of new X10 or R10 aircraft get the controller in the box, so for them the question is mostly moot. Agencies with existing fleets that want to upgrade without buying new aircraft have no public figure to plan around. That makes it hard to compare the cost of the screen, runtime and 5G improvements against the cost of re-equipping every pilot.
Why It Matters
Skydio's public-safety footprint is large. DroneXL cites the company's own September count of more than 1,000 docks at public safety agencies, and notes that someone still holds the controller through the whole shift.
Crews get a brighter and larger screen, about 45 more minutes per charge, better water resistance, HDMI and wireless screencasting for command posts, and a 5G link on an approved carrier of the agency's choosing. One Flight Deck interface across the X10, X10D and R10 also makes training simpler for mixed fleets.
They give up 395 g of handheld weight, the X10 controller's higher-refresh AMOLED display, and, for now, a published price. Buyers who depend on the Blue UAS list also lack an explicit statement that the controller matches the aircraft's listing. For an agency buying new aircraft that already include Controller 2, the decision has been made for them. For agencies weighing a retrofit, the open questions about price and list status still need answers.
Controller 2 is part of a broader product push from Skydio this fall. At Ascend, the company also showed the F10 Lightrunner fixed-wing drone, the VT300-Z Rev 2 telephoto camera shipping with new X10 and X10D aircraft, and upcoming ThermalBoost and Low-Light Enhance software, according to DroneDJ.
