There has been a lot of media hype about the Skydio 2 drone.
Some reviews by social media influencers say it's the best drone in the world.
Others regret their purchase and went back to more traditional drones.
Plenty of owners have good and bad experiences...
like me.
After nine months of flying, we cover the problems we experienced,
the positive aspects, and whether this drone might suit your purposes.
We obviously have a focus on using the drone to film motorbikes.
I have two friends who use this drone too, they concur with my experiences.
Autonomous flight and collision avoidance.
Skydio claims to be the best drone in this respect.
This is true.
But the system is far from perfect.
Skydio's earlier promotions showed the drone effortlessly flying between trees.
And that it was almost impossible to crash.
Many users have crashed their Skydio, and found it does not navigate through trees well...
at least above a walking speed.
Thankfully Skydio has downgraded their claims now.
And they have introduced Skydio Care.
This reduces the cost of repairs or replacement for drones that have crashed,
landed in water, or flown away.
Tracking.
The Skydio tracks the subject through a mix of visual tracking and a GPS signal via the beacon.
Range is extended by connecting with our cell phone too.
Skydio says the maximum range of the Skydio 2 is 1.5km.
But we always find it loses tracking much sooner.
At times it has stopped tracking at very short distances.
It happens... a lot.
Where possible, we try to fly with the drone in front where we can watch it.
Otherwise, we have to regularly look behind to make sure it is still there.
Often it isn't.
This seems to be rare for slower moving subjects.
Possibly motorbikes are stretching the capabilities of the Skydio too much.
Always make sure the drone is tracking you!
Sometimes the drone is facing you.
You think it has connected.
But then it just wanders off...
possibly looking for other drones to mate with?
Who knows.
Sometimes the drone will start tracking another motorbike,
even though I have the cell phone and beacon on my motorbike.
At least it is still filming a motorbike.
But this could end badly if it's a rider not in your group who takes a different turn.
Video quality.
Experienced drone operators often complain about the quality of Skydio's video.
We have left it unadjusted so you can see how the automatic light balance can vary dramatically.
Also, aperture adjustments can be very rapid.
Some owners set the aperture manually and have to make corrections in post-production.
Skydio does not provide a 'flat' colour profile that would
allow for higher quality footage to be manipulated easily in post-production.
It can only be fixed to some extent in post-production.
We mainly use the beacon to direct the movements of the Skydio.
It usually works quite well.
However, there are times the artificial
intelligence takes over and the drone becomes quite erratic.
We want a lower altitude.
It will suddenly fly up.
And vice versa.
You direct it to the left, but it goes to the right.
This can be unnerving.
I always try to avoid certain obstacles but occasionally
the drone will decide to do the opposite.
Make sure your phone is compatible with the drone before you buy!
My phone supposedly met the requirements.
But it wouldn't work and Skydio said
"Oh that Nokia model doesn't work. Buy a new phone".
I asked "Why don't you publish a list of non-compliant phones?"
No answer.
Another $400 added to the cost of my drone.
Doh.
This all sounds very negative, doesn't it?
Yes I'm disappointed.
Skydio's earlier promotions promised so much.
But unfortunately I think it's only a matter of time
before this drone is destroyed in a crash, or disappears into the distance.
Put your name and phone number on the drone.
With luck, someone might return it.
Let's look at the positive side of the Skydio 2 drone.
It's not made in China! I am sure many components are made in China.
But it's great to see a USA company in charge.
It is simply the best autonomous drone currently available.
Nobody else comes close.
Yes there are plenty of problems.
But you can get great shots without being an experienced drone operator.
Ditto for the obstacle avoidance.
No other drone comes close... yet.
Motorbikes do sometimes push the capabilities of the Skydio too far.
But for most other sports the Skydio is a clear winner in this respect.
Who shouldn't buy this drone?
If you prefer manual flight, don't buy the Skydio.
It is geared toward autonomous flight.
If you really want professional level video quality, the Skydio camera just isn't that great.
However, the average user will find the video footage is acceptable.
Riding a motorbike in forests?
Or around a lot of trees?
You will get frustrated, and eventually crash it.
If you are walking or cycling at moderate speeds, you may find it works okay in forests.
See Youtube for examples.
But remember most Youtubers delete all the footage of going back to find their trapped drone.
Who should buy this drone?
Anyone who loves the idea of an autonomous drone.
In wide open spaces, it really can perform well.
It may be okay around trees if you don't push its capabilities too far.
But be prepared for crashes anyway.
Consider buying the Skydio Care package.
If you want reasonable video quality, be prepared to do a lot of editing
to fix the poor light balance and colour profile.
See some of our recent videos to see our results with lots of editing.
Do your research.
Watch plenty of videos.
Be careful of fake reviews by social media influencers.
Usually they get a free Skydio in exchange for saying it's the world's best drone.
Good luck.