An Honest Skydio 2 Review: My Experience with the Autonomous Drone

An Honest Skydio 2 Review: My Experience with the Autonomous Drone
An Honest Skydio 2 Review: My Experience with the Autonomous Drone

Introduction

Welcome to my Skydio 2 Review

Welcome to my Skydio 2 Review, where I'll be sharing my thoughts on this cutting-edge autonomous drone. As someone who has extensively used the Skydio 2, I am excited to share my experiences and insights about this drone with you.

In this review, I will take a closer look at the features, performance, and overall value of the Skydio 2. Whether you're a professional videographer or an amateur enthusiast, you'll discover everything you need to know about this advanced autonomous drone.

Table of Contents

The Rise of Autonomous Drones

As technology has advanced, drones have become more accessible and affordable for people to purchase and use for various purposes. One area that has seen significant growth is the autonomous drone category, which has revolutionized the way people capture aerial footage.

Autonomous drones, like the Skydio 2, come equipped with advanced technology that allows them to operate independently, making them an ideal choice for people who want to capture high-quality footage without having to manually control the drone. This feature has made autonomous drones especially popular among amateur videographers who may not have experience flying drones but still want to capture stunning footage.

Skydio 2 Is a Cutting-Edge Autonomous Drone With Advanced Features

A Skydio 2 autonomous drone captures footage while avoiding obstacles and tracking subjects with incredible precision, while avoiding obstacles in its path, making it stand out from other drones.

In this review, I will delve into the performance and features of the Skydio 2 drone to assess its overall value and usability. Additionally, I'll be sharing my personal experience with the drone, including how it tracks people and objects.

Performance and Features

Video Demonstration of the Drone Following Someone on the Beach

To give you a taste of what the Skydio 2 is capable of, I've also included a quick video of the drone following someone on the beach. Watch as it tracks the person and avoids obstacles like trees and water, showcasing its impressive capabilities.

On a Wisconsin Lake Beach, Skydio 2 follows a person

Evaluation and Tracking Footage

Is It Possible for the Skydio 2 to Follow an Automobile?

Although the Skydio drone has impressive capabilities when it comes to mapping out the flying area, it is not entirely a “set and forget” drone. You still need to remain vigilant about potential obstacles that the drone may encounter and avoid them accordingly. In other words, while the drone can assist you in navigating its surroundings, it still requires human oversight to ensure safe and successful flight.

Although the upcoming flight may seem to have gone smoothly, it's crucial to take a step back and evaluate the situation.

We had the Skydio 2 drone following a Volkswagen Golf R for a considerable amount of time, during which we were not driving at high speeds. Occasionally, we had to pull over to allow other vehicles to pass, but this was not a significant issue since the road was sufficiently wide. Additionally, the road was in poor condition, with numerous potholes and other forms of damage, which generally deterred drivers from speeding along it.

Overall, it appeared that the drone was performing well, with one minor issue being that it occasionally took a brief moment to determine the optimal route for returning to the car. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that the drone’s ability to perform this task, even when the car is not in sight of any of its many cameras, is quite impressive.

The Loss Incident

Recounting the Loss of My Skydio 2 Drone in the Woods

Just as I was beginning to feel more comfortable using the Skydio 2 drone, it unexpectedly lost sight of the Volkswagen Golf R and veered towards the nearby woods. This behavior was quite unusual, as in my past experience with drones, they tend to either fly back to their original takeoff point or at least attempt to return to the location of the controller or beacon.

As soon as the drone flew towards the woods, I quickly requested my friend to pull over, but I was unable to reestablish data transmission with the device. This was quite frustrating since we were in a rural area with only a few homes every mile and not in a densely populated area with hundreds of Wi-Fi signals. Eventually, we returned to the original takeoff point, but the drone was nowhere to be found. Despite our efforts to scout the area, we were unable to detect any signal from the device. As it grew dark, we decided to call off the search for the night.

Documenting the Process of Retrieving the Lost Drone

If you're interested in learning more about the process of retrieving my lost drone, I've documented it in another blog post. You can find it at the following link: [https://graydonschwartz.com/recounting-the-crash-and-rescue-of-my-skydio-2-drone/].

Recounting the Crash and Rescue of My Skydio 2 Drone
In the world of drone photography, accidents can happen even to the most experienced pilots. Almost two years ago, I had a heart-stopping moment when my beloved Skydio 2 drone crashed unexpectedly. We planned on capturing some sweet autonomous flight videos of his VW Golf R, but something ended up

In that particular article, I have included the clip where the drone lost sight of the Volkswagen Golf R. To avoid redundancy, I won’t be sharing the same clip in this article. If you’re interested in viewing it, be sure to check out the aforementioned article as well.

Skydio's Response to Drone Loss Incident and the New Skydio 2+

Following the aforementioned incident, Skydio has released several firmware updates for the drone. Additionally, they have also introduced the Skydio 2+, which offers an extended range when used with both the Skydio Controller and Skydio Beacon.

It is my sincere hope that the issue mentioned earlier has been resolved by Skydio. However, I currently do not have any means of verifying this information. If you happen to own or have used either the Skydio 2 or Skydio 2+, I would greatly appreciate it if you could share your experience with the drone in the comments section below. Have you experienced any similar issues with it getting “lost”? How has it been holding up overall?

Skydio 2 Drone Evaluation and Tracking Footage

Our objective was to evaluate the performance of the Skydio 2 drone, which happened to be the first time that the operator had flown an autonomous drone. While the video's primary purpose is to entertain, it provides a sense of how the drone tracks a human subject and even an automobile towards the end of the footage. However, it should be noted that the video is not intended to be a comprehensive guide on how to operate the Skydio 2 drone.

Final Thoughts

If you asked me if I would purchase another Skydio 2 autonomous drone, my answer would be yes, especially if they release a next-generation version. I was thoroughly impressed with the original Skydio 2, and I believe that with all the research and development that goes into creating the next one, it will be even better. As my YouTube channel continues to expand, I am considering using the drone again for some videos because I miss it dearly.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you’re interested in watching more videos featuring the Skydio 2, please check out the video below where my friend flies the drone for the first time.

Skydio 2 FAQ

What is the Skydio 2 Beacon?

The Skydio 2+ drone's GPS tracking is impressive, which means it can stick with you even if it loses sight of you. If you want to take your drone adventures to the next level, the Skydio 2+ Beacon can help you extend your phone's range up to 3 kilometers when using the Skydio App. With easy drag-and-drop controls, you can move your drone around the sky without breaking a sweat. So whether you're trying to lock in a perfect shot or capture some epic aerial footage, you can do it all with just one hand.

How Do DJI Drones Compare to Skydio 2 in Terms of Autonomous Capabilities

If someone desires to have a drone follow and track their movements while engaging in an activity such as mountain shredding (if allowed), then the optimal choice would be the Skydio 2+. Conversely, if the intention is to produce a relaxed lofi video, then the DJI Air 2S or DJI Mavic 3 would be the suggested options. It is worth noting that various drones are suitable for specific purposes.

What about the Skydio 2 App?

While the Skydio 2/+ drone app has all the standard features one would anticipate, I personally find it less remarkable compared to the DJI Fly app. Nonetheless, it is essential to recognize that when comparing the DJI Mavic 3 or DJI Mini 3 Pro with the Skydio 2/+ drones, it is crucial to consider that they serve distinct purposes.

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