Skydio Starts Shipping Controller 2: Bigger Screen, Longer Runtime, 395 g Heavier
US drone maker Skydio has begun shipping its new handheld Controller 2 for the X10, X10D and R10 drones. It weighs 395 grams more than the controller it replaces but runs about 45 minutes longer.
US drone maker Skydio has begun delivering its new handheld controller, Controller 2, to customers. It is designed for the company's X10, X10D and R10 drones. CEO Adam Bry announced this on LinkedIn on Sunday, November 8. The controller was first announced on October 27 and comes in the box with every new X10 and R10. Skydio first showed it in September at its Ascend event.
Main changes
The screen measures 7 inches and is rated at 2,000 nits sustained, while the battery lasts more than 5 hours 45 minutes. Bry's post also lists better 5G performance, more I/O ports and Skydio's Command software, which allows joint missions between a dock and the controller.
Per Skydio's spec sheet, Controller 2 weighs 1,530 grams, compared with 1,135 grams for the X10 controller. The battery is the same 9,600 mAh unit, yet runtime is about 45 minutes longer. The screen grows from 6.6 to 7 inches, but its type also changes: the earlier controller had a 120 Hz AMOLED panel, while the new one has a 60 Hz LCD at 1920 x 1200. The ingress rating rises from IP54 to IP55. The brightness figures are not directly comparable, since the old model is rated at peak and the new one at sustained brightness.
The controller has a built-in kickstand, protected control sticks, customizable physical buttons and wireless screencasting in addition to HDMI output. Skydio's pages do not explain the source of the extra weight.
5G and compatibility
The unit uses a swappable 5G SIM, and the data plan can be bought from Skydio or taken from an agency's own carrier. X10D crews who need Microhard radios get a separate version, Controller 2 MH. According to the spec sheet, the 5G link's range is unlimited wherever there is cellular coverage, versus 12 km on Skydio's own radio link and 10 km on Microhard. The controller is NDAA compliant, with an AES-256 encrypted data link.
Skydio's X10, R10 and Dock for X10 made the Blue UAS Cleared List in July. Controller 2's pages describe it as NDAA compliant but not as Blue UAS listed. Owners of aircraft already in the field can order it separately. No price is listed on Skydio's pages.
