Skydio
US maker of autonomous drones and docks for public safety, inspection and national security
Scaleup · Shipping · Robotics leader · San Mateo, California, United States · Founded 2014
- Headcount · not published on the pages used
Profile
Skydio builds autonomous drones, docks and autonomy software for public safety, asset inspection, mapping and national security. Its founders met as MIT grad students working on autonomous flight, later helped start Google's Project Wing, and founded Skydio in 2014; in 2018 it launched R1, which it describes as a breakthrough in autonomous drones. It designs, assembles and supports its products in the USA and brands itself as America's leading drone manufacturer. Flagship products include the Skydio X10 autonomous flying robot, Dock for X10 for remote docked operations, and Skydio Autonomy software. In February 2023 it raised a $230M Series E led by Linse Capital, bringing total funding at that time to $562M at a valuation over $2.2B; Axon first invested in that round. On November 5, 2026, Axon filed an 8-K announcing an about $1.2B incremental minority investment expected to raise its stake from about 15% (as of Sep 30, 2026) to about 37% fully diluted, with about 60% cash (about $720M) and the rest Axon stock. Axon's furnished press release puts the pre-money valuation at $5.2B and says Axon becomes Skydio's exclusive public-safety distributor in the U.S. and Canada.
Notes Reported HQ lat/lng are approximate for San Mateo, CA (3000 Clearview Way per the site footer). Total raised after the 2023 Series E is not confirmed on a primary page; the Nov 2024 $170M Series E extension is TechCrunch-only and is left out. Headcount is not published on the pages used. A third founder name was not listed on the About leadership section; only Bry and Bachrach are named.
Leadership
- Adam Bry, Co-founder & CEO
- Abe Bachrach, Co-founder & CTO
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Flagship products
- Skydio X10 Autonomous machines
Autonomous flying robot (drone) with modular cameras and thermal options; company page cites 45 mph max flight speed, about 40 min max flight time and IP55 rating - Dock for X10 Autonomous machines
Cloud-connected dock that houses X10 drones for remote, repeatable missions; company page cites about 20 seconds to get airborne and 24/7 operation - Skydio Autonomy Software
Onboard autonomy software for obstacle avoidance, night flight and mission execution without an expert pilot on site
Funding and valuation
Latest round
About $1.2B
Axon incremental minority investment · Nov 5, 2026
Led by Axon Enterprise.
About $1.2B incremental minority investment announced and partly closed on Nov 5, 2026, expected to raise Axon's ownership from about 15% as of Sep 30, 2026 to about 37% fully diluted. Consideration expected about 60% cash (about $720M) with the remainder in Axon stock. Axon's furnished press release puts the pre-money valuation at $5.2B and says Axon becomes Skydio's exclusive public-safety distributor in the U.S. and Canada. Not a traditional venture round.
Valuation
$5.2B
pre-money valuation (Axon investment) · Nov 5, 2026
From Axon's furnished Exhibit 99.1 press release, not from the 8-K Item 1.01 body.
Trademarks
4 names filed in the US since 2025 · last checked .
- SIDEEYE Filed, awaiting examinerOptical and electronic sensors for drones.
- THERMALBOOST Filed, awaiting examinerEmbedded software sold as a component of drones for aligning and combining visible-light and thermal camera images.
- FORESIGHT Filed, awaiting examinerEmbedded software sold as a component of drones for autonomous flight planning, navigation.
Show 1 more name
- F10 LIGHTRUNNER Filed, awaiting examinerAircraft; drones; civilian drones; photography drones; camera drones; unmanned aerial vehicles.
Source: USPTO Trademark Search, matched on the company’s legal names. Rechecked on the 1st and 15th of each month. A filing shows intent to use a name in the US, not a launched product.
Recent news
- — Axon announces about $1.2B incremental minority investment; stake expected to rise to about 37% fully diluted Axon (SEC 8-K)
- — Raises $230M Series E led by Linse Capital; total funding $562M at a valuation over $2.2B Skydio
Suppliers
- Encord — Data platform for physical AI (curation, annotation and dataset management for video, sensor and 3D data); robot data annotation
Sources
- About (Skydio) (Nov 9, 2026)
- Skydio home (Nov 9, 2026)
- Skydio X10 product page (Nov 9, 2026)
- Dock for X10 product page (Nov 9, 2026)
- Skydio Autonomy page (Nov 9, 2026)
- Skydio Raises $230M in Series E Funding Round (Skydio) (Feb 27, 2023)
- Axon Form 8-K: incremental minority investment in Skydio (SEC) (Nov 5, 2026)
- Axon press release on Skydio investment (Form 8-K Exhibit 99.1, SEC) (Nov 5, 2026)
Confidence: high.