Silicon Valley innovators accelerate next-gen UAVs fusing AI-powered autonomy with breakthrough composites manufacturing

SAN FRANCISCO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — December 17, 2020 — Skydio, a leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight technology, and Arris, a leader in advanced manufacturing of high-performance products, have redefined airframe design leveraging Additive Molding™, Arris’s breakthrough carbon fiber manufacturing technology. Starting with the new Skydio X2 drone, enterprise, public sector and defense customers will benefit from lighter, longer-range, and more robust aircraft structures at scale. The collaboration has resulted in the first-of-its-kind production use of Arris’s technology in the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) industry, further extending Skydio’s technology leadership and enabling game-changing advantages:

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Arris & Skydio Redefine Aerospace Design to Achieve Ultimate Lightweight Performance Starting with the new Skydio X2 drone (Graphic: Business Wire)

• Advanced airframe design with component consolidation allowing Skydio to replace a 17 part assembly with a single, multi-functional structure
• Strength and stiffness of titanium at a fraction of the weight, enabling the Skydio X2 to increase range, and speed
• Optimized carbon and glass fiber layout based on functional requirements of individual regions of the airframe
• Scalable US-based manufacturing and innovation to bring peak aerospace performance at lower cost

“We are excited about the value that our partnership with Arris will bring to our customers. At Skydio, we pursue cutting edge innovation across all facets of drone technology. The unique properties of Arris’s Additive Molding carbon fiber allows us to optimize the strength, weight, and radio signal transparency of the Skydio X2 airframe to deliver a highly reliable solution that meets the needs of demanding enterprise, public safety and defense use cases,” says Adam Bry, Skydio’s CEO.

Skydio X2 is Skydio’s latest autonomous drone solution for enterprise, public sector and defense. X2 pairs Skydio’s breakthrough autonomy software with a rugged, foldable airframe for easy “pack and go” transportation, and up to 35 minutes of flight time. The X2 airframe will include a newly designed core structural element manufactured with Arris’s Additive Molding™ technology. Arris’s first-of-its-kind Additive Molding leverages 3D-aligned continuous fiber composite materials for complex shapes where material composition can change within regions of a single part. As a result, Skydio has been able to use a single carbon fiber component with the structural results that would have otherwise required 17 parts.

“The evolution of aerospace design has been punctuated by breakthroughs in manufacturing and materials. Such a moment has come where manufacturing of optimized structures has converged with composite materials ideals to unlock previously impossible, high-performance aerospace designs,” says Ethan Escowitz, founder and CEO of Arris. “While we’re working with leading aerospace manufacturers to improve aircraft performance, sustainability and costs; Skydio’s culture and market have enabled an unsurpassed pace of innovation that has fast-tracked this transformation to deliver the next-generation of aerostructures. It’s simply amazing to see such a revolutionary product broadly available and flying today.”

Skydio X2 is the ultimate solution for a wide range of use cases, including situational awareness, asset inspection, security and patrol use cases. Designed, assembled, and supported in the USA, Skydio X2 is NDAA compliant and has been selected as a trusted UAV solution for the US Department of Defense as part of DIU’s Blue sUAS program. The partnership with Arris further validates Skydio’s commitment to innovation, secure supply chain security and US-based manufacturing.

Resources

Skydio Announcement Blog - Skydio Adds Arris’s First of its Kind Additive Molding Composites to the X2 Platform

Arris Announcement Blog – Arris & Skydio Redefine Aerospace Design to Achieve Ultimate Lightweight Performance

About Skydio

Skydio is the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. Skydio leverages breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by consumers, enterprises, and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. from its headquarters in Redwood City, CA, to offer the highest standards of supply chain and manufacturing security. Skydio is trusted by leading enterprises across a wide range of industry sectors and is backed by top investors and strategic partners including Andreessen Horowitz, Levitate Capital, Next47, IVP, Playground, and NVIDIA.

About Arris

Arris is a California-based technology company enabling the design and manufacture of the highest-performance products at scale. Arris’s Additive Molding™ is a high-speed composites manufacturing technology combining continuous aligned fibers and electronic components within topology-optimized structures. Arris partners with the world’s most innovative companies to help them imagine, design, and manufacture lighter, faster, stronger, and more intelligent products. Learn more at www.arriscomposites.com

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Arris Media Contact
LMGPR
Donna Loughlin Michaels
donna@lmgpr.com
408.393.5575

Skydio Media Contact
Aircover Communications
Morgan Mason
skydioteam@aircoverpr.com