L3Harris and Skydio have integrated tactical communications equipment into the X10D drone to help maintain control links and transmit data in environments affected by electronic warfare.
The integration combines Skydio’s autonomous aircraft with L3Harris’ Falcon IV embeddable radios and Wraith waveform, the technology that governs how signals are transmitted and received.
According to L3Harris, the combination provides multiple layers of protection against jamming.
The aim is to keep operators connected to the drone while allowing it to share mission data and location information across military networks when communications are disrupted.
The integration uses open-system architectures to connect the X10D to L3Harris communications equipment.
More than 150,000 tactical radios already in service with US and allied forces can support the Wraith waveform, potentially allowing operators to link the drone to existing military radio networks.
Skydio X10D
The X10D is a small unmanned aircraft equipped with interchangeable visible-light and thermal camera packages.
According to Skydio, it can reach 45 miles (72 kilometers) per hour and be deployed in under 40 seconds.
Its navigation system combines camera imagery with motion sensors to estimate its position when satellite navigation is unavailable or disrupted.
Operators can also set visual reference points to support autonomous navigation and return flights without GPS.
Available payloads include a 64-megapixel camera and a Teledyne FLIR Boson+ thermal sensor with 640 × 512-pixel resolution.
One configuration adds a 48-megapixel telephoto camera for observing distant objects, while another includes a wide-angle camera and a light for close-range inspections.