The Skydio 2 image: Skydio

Skydio, a maker of self-flying drones, has unveiled a second drone; the Skydio 2, a year after unveiling the first, the Skydio R1. Skydio’s new drone is priced at $999, with an optional controller and “Beacon” (think of a GPS tracker that lets Skydio’s self-flying drone follow [and be controlled by] its owner) costing $149 each. Skydio has started accepting $100 reservations for its new drone, and will offer discounts for owners of the Skydio R1.

The Skydio 2 is built around a custom AI system developed by Skydio, and sees and senses its environment using six 4k cameras paired with a GPS system. Skydio has a wireless range of up to 3.5 kilometers, and can trail and film objects at speeds of up to 36 miles per hour. The Skydio 2 (costing $999) is less than half the price of the Skydio R1 ($2,500). The new drone is also more portable, able to fit in any case/pouch/backpack one can use to carry a 13-inch laptop.

Features/specs of the Skydio 2 include:

• 23 minutes of flight time
• Removable MicroSD card storage
• Can track up to 10 objects simultaneously
• 360° field-of-view
• Nvidia Tegra X2 main processor
• Qualcomm QCS605 image signal processor
• Up to 4K video resolution; 4K at 24, 30, 48 and 60 FPS, 1080p at 30, 60 and 120 FPS

The Skydio 2 controller image: Skydio

The Skydio 2 Beacon image: Skydio

The Skydio 2 can be controlled via the Skydio App for iOS and Android, or through the optional controller and Beacon. The optional gadgets have its perks, with the controller capable of controlling the drone from up to 3.5 kilometers away. The Beacon on the other hand has a control range of up to 1.5km, and the Skydio App (via a phone); 200 meters.

The Skydio 2 will begin shipping in November.