This Skydio company profile covers the company's valuation, revenue, funding rounds, investors and history. Skydio works in defense and robotics, with a focus on autonomous drones. It was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California, United States. Its latest valuation on record is US$4.4 billion (April 2026). Every figure links to a public source, and anything the company hasn't disclosed is marked as such.
Revenue
| Metric | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployments | More than 60,000 autonomous drones shipped and more than 3,800 enterprise customers (as reported) | April 2026 | DroneXL |
Funding history
| Date | Round | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | Series F | About US$110M | US$4.4B post-money | See source | Skydio |
| Feb 2023 | Series E | US$230M | About US$2.2B | Linse Capital (lead); a16z, Axon, Hercules Capital and others | DroneXL |
Skydio timeline
Key dates from the sources on this page, oldest first. Metric snapshots are listed after the funding events.
- 2014 — Skydio is founded in San Mateo by Adam Bry (CEO), Abraham Bachrach and Matt Donahoe.
- Feb 2023 — Series E: US$230M, valuing the company at About US$2.2B. Investors: Linse Capital (lead); a16z, Axon, Hercules Capital and others.
- Apr 2026 — Series F: About US$110M, valuing the company at US$4.4B post-money.
- April 2026 — Deployments: More than 60,000 autonomous drones shipped and more than 3,800 enterprise customers (as reported).
Investors
Overview
Skydio is the largest US drone manufacturer, building autonomous drones that use AI and onboard cameras to fly themselves, avoid obstacles and complete missions with little pilot skill. Its products serve the military, police and fire departments, utilities, telecoms, construction and infrastructure inspection. Skydio has also built drone docks, stations where drones launch, land and recharge automatically, enabling remote operations such as "drone as first responder" programmes in which police dispatch a drone to an emergency before officers arrive. In April 2026 it raised about US$110 million at a US$4.4 billion valuation, and its CEO said the small round reflected the company's falling need for outside capital.
Adam Bry, the CEO, Abraham Bachrach and Matt Donahoe founded Skydio in 2014 after studying and working on autonomous flight at MIT; Bry and Bachrach were also early members of Google's Project Wing drone delivery team. Skydio initially made consumer drones famous for following and filming users autonomously, but exited the consumer market in 2023 to focus on enterprise and defense customers, where demand for trusted, US-made drones was growing.
Products
- X10 and X10D: rugged drones for enterprise and defense, with advanced cameras, thermal imaging and autonomy.
- R10: a smaller drone for public safety and indoor operations.
- Skydio Dock: automated docking stations for remote, scheduled and on-demand missions.
- Software: fleet management, remote operations and 3D mapping software.
Funding
Skydio raised funding from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, IVP, Next47, Nvidia and police technology company Axon. A US$230 million Series E in 2023 valued it at about US$2.2 billion. In April 2026 it closed a Series F of about US$110 million at a US$4.4 billion post-money valuation. CEO Adam Bry said the round was oversubscribed and that the company turned down additional investment because its capital needs were declining. Reports of total funding range from about US$670 million to about US$850 million.
Business model
Skydio sells drones, docks and software subscriptions to government agencies and enterprises, often in multi-year contracts that include training and support. Defense and public safety programmes can involve large orders, and software for fleet management adds recurring revenue. US-made hardware gives it an advantage in government procurement where Chinese-made drones are restricted.
Competition
Skydio competes with DJI, the Chinese company that dominates the global drone market; with US drone makers such as BRINC, Teal Drones (Red Cat), Flock Safety's Aerodome and Shield AI; and with European and Israeli manufacturers. In defense, it competes with Anduril and others developing autonomous systems. US restrictions on Chinese drones have strengthened Skydio's position domestically.
Skydio at a glance
Skydio is a San Mateo, California, drone company founded in 2014 by MIT alumni Adam Bry, Abraham Bachrach and Matt Donahoe. It builds autonomous drones and docks for defense, public safety and enterprise, and has shipped more than 60,000 drones. It raised about US$110 million at a US$4.4 billion valuation in April 2026.
Timeline
- 2014: founded.
- 2018: launches its first autonomous consumer drone.
- 2021: becomes a unicorn as enterprise and defense sales grow.
- 2023: raises a Series E and exits consumer drones.
- 2024: China sanctions Skydio, disrupting its battery supply.
- April 2026: raises about US$110 million at US$4.4 billion.
China sanctions and supply chains
In 2024, after Skydio supplied drones to Taiwan, China imposed sanctions that cut off its main battery supplier, forcing it to ration batteries and seek alternatives. The episode highlighted how dependent drone makers are on Chinese components and pushed Skydio and the US government to invest in domestic supply chains. Reports in 2026 described large manufacturing commitments by Skydio, including a new facility and procurement from US component suppliers.
Drones as first responders
Police departments increasingly use drones launched from docks to respond to calls, sending live video to dispatchers and officers before they arrive. Supporters say it improves safety and helps avoid unnecessary confrontations; civil liberties groups raise concerns about surveillance and privacy. Clear policies on when drones fly and how footage is stored are important for public trust.
Who uses Skydio
Skydio's customers include the US military and allied forces, police and fire departments, utilities, telecom companies, energy firms, construction companies and infrastructure inspectors.
Valuation context
Skydio's valuation doubled between 2023 and 2026, supported by defense demand and restrictions on Chinese drones. Our guide to defense tech startups compares related companies.
Risks
- Supply chains: dependence on components from China and elsewhere.
- Government budgets: defense and public safety spending can change.
- Competition: DJI remains dominant globally; new US entrants are well funded.
- Privacy concerns: public safety use attracts scrutiny.
Questions for buyers
- Does the drone meet government security and origin requirements?
- What autonomy and dock capabilities fit your missions?
- What training and support are included?
From consumer to enterprise
Skydio first became known for consumer drones that could follow a cyclist through a forest or a skier down a slope, avoiding trees on their own. The consumer drone market was dominated by DJI, which had scale and price advantages that were hard to match. Skydio realised its autonomy technology was more valuable for inspections, emergency response and military reconnaissance, where customers pay more and need reliability and security. Exiting consumer drones in 2023 allowed it to focus engineering and sales on these markets. US government restrictions on Chinese drones, including bans on their use by many federal agencies and proposed broader restrictions, further strengthened demand for alternatives.
Autonomy as the core advantage
Flying a drone close to bridges, power lines or inside buildings requires skill, and crashes are costly. Skydio's onboard AI builds a 3D map of surroundings in real time and avoids obstacles automatically, so operators with less training can perform complex missions and docks can run them remotely.
Latest developments (October 2026)
Skydio raised a US$110 million Series F at a US$4.4 billion post-money valuation in April 2026, led by UP Partners, according to the company. Chief executive Adam Bry said the round was kept small because Skydio's capital needs are falling as revenue grows. The company says more than 3,800 agencies and organisations use its drones, and it has won further US Army orders for its X10D model. See our drone companies guide.
What to watch
Watch manufacturing expansion, defense contracts, public safety adoption and any IPO plans.
Takeaways
Agencies and enterprises get autonomous, US-made drones. Founders can see how pivoting from consumer to enterprise and defense created a stronger business. Investors should watch supply chain resilience.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the public sources below. Where sources disagreed, we used the company's own announcement or a primary news report. Private-company data changes; check the date beside each figure.
Frequently asked questions
What does Skydio do?
Skydio is a defense and robotics / autonomous drones company headquartered in San Mateo, California, United States. It was founded in 2014.
What is Skydio's valuation?
Skydio was valued at US$4.4 billion as of April 2026, according to DroneXL. Private company valuations are set at funding rounds or share sales and can change significantly between them.
How much revenue does Skydio make?
Skydio is a private company and has not publicly disclosed its revenue. Figures on third-party sites are usually modelled estimates rather than numbers reported by the company.
What was Skydio's latest funding round?
The most recent financing we have verified is a series f in Apr 2026: About US$110M, at a valuation of US$4.4B post-money. Source: Skydio.
Who are Skydio's investors?
Investors named in public announcements include Andreessen Horowitz, Linse Capital, Axon, Next47, IVP, Accel and Nvidia.
Who founded Skydio?
Skydio was founded in 2014 by Adam Bry (CEO), Abraham Bachrach and Matt Donahoe.
Is Skydio a public company?
No. Skydio is a private company (private, venture backed), so its shares are not traded on a stock exchange and it isn't required to publish its financial results.
Where is Skydio headquartered?
Skydio is headquartered in San Mateo, California, United States.