Verizon says it has partnered with Skydio to operate the X10 as its primary drone while providing on-demand assistance to government agencies and emergency responders during crisis situations.
The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team plans to replace several of its current drones with the X10 which is designed specifically for public safety applications such as search and rescue missions, thermal mapping, and overall situational awareness during a crisis.
The drone comes equipped with multiple cameras, including telephoto, narrow, and radiometric thermal cameras for use in low-light environments. Additionally, the X10 boasts NightSense, a feature that enables autonomous flight, including obstacle avoidance, in zero-light conditions. This helps ensure that emergency response can continue uninterrupted 24/7.
Explaining that the X10 will help Verizon to modernize its drone fleet, Chris Sanders, a senior manager for the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team, says, “The X10 is an AI-enabled drone capable of providing our team with enhanced capabilities, including full or partial autonomous flight. It will allow us to stream video to the agencies we fly for by sharing a link, which means that anyone in the organization will be able to see the stream, and it makes it easier for us because there’s less equipment needed to operate the drone.”
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Another plus for the team is the Skydio drone is capable of powering up in less than 40 seconds and can reach a max flight speed of 45 miles per hour during its 40-minute flight time.
As Cory Davis, vice president of Verizon Frontline, puts it, “Ensuring our teams are outfitted with cutting-edge technology solutions which we can rapidly deploy in support of our public safety partners is one of the many ways we demonstrate our lasting commitment to supporting first responders.”
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