On Could 12, 2025, a Skydio X10 drone operated by the New York Police Division (NYPD) crashed and caught hearth on the roof of the 71st Police Precinct in Brooklyn, elevating questions on drone security and reliability. In line with a detailed LinkedIn publish by Adam Bry, CEO of Skydio, the incident was traced to a battery connector difficulty, marking the primary recognized customer-facing occasion of this failure after lots of of 1000’s of flights.
Drone Incident Particulars: A Fiery Crash in Brooklyn
The NYPD’s Drone as First Responder (DFR) program was in motion when the Skydio X10 drone landed on the roof of the 71st Precinct, one in every of its designated areas alongside the 67th, seventy fifth, forty eighth, and the Central Park Precinct.
As reported by firefighter and UAS pilot Michael Wall on LinkedIn, the drone caught hearth earlier than Firefighters arrived, requiring items like Battalion 38 to extinguish the blaze. “Battalion 38 to Brooklyn, Battalion 38. 1044, we’re going to drop all the way down to an 18, 249 and 113 to function. PD had a drone land on the roof that went on hearth,” Wall shared, noting that the fireplace was shortly managed with a can extinguisher.
Skydio’s investigation, detailed by Bry, confirmed that “battery connector put on” brought on the crash. The fireplace erupted post-ejection, with no vital property injury past the drone itself. “We don’t imagine the battery ejection and subsequent hearth was associated to the battery connector difficulty that led to the crash,” Bry acknowledged, emphasizing that lithium polymer battery cells, generally utilized in drones just like the X10, can ignite if punctured.
Technical Evaluation: Why Did the Battery Fail?
The Skydio X10, which lately surpassed 500,000 flights, depends on lithium-ion polymer (LiPo) batteries. Jonathan Becker, a technical coach at Attollo LLC, defined on LinkedIn that such batteries can combust if “punctured, overcharged, short-circuited, bodily broken, or uncovered to excessive warmth.” Skydio’s inside testing, which incorporates drop assessments from 60 toes, has not beforehand resulted in fires, suggesting this incident could stem from operational or environmental elements not but replicated in lab situations.
Becker additionally famous Skydio’s security measures, together with “sensible battery administration techniques that monitor temperature, voltage, and cost cycles.” Nonetheless, this Drone Incident underscores the necessity for rigorous pre-flight checks. Skydio’s personal Battery Care documentation advises customers to retailer batteries correctly and examine for injury to mitigate dangers.
Business Implications: Security and Transparency in Focus
This crash arrives at a vital juncture for the Drone Business, the place public security purposes like DFR packages are increasing. Michael Wall highlighted broader considerations, quoting Joshua Pruitt on the hazards of “pretend it until you make it” tech mindsets: “The phrase ‘pretend it until you make it’ would possibly work for school college students and tech bros, however in public security—the place lives are at stake—that mindset is harmful.”
The drone incident has prompted Skydio to reinforce its transparency, with Bry asserting a Discover to Operators (NTO) and the addition of telemetry signatures to alert customers of potential battery connector put on.
Operationally, the crash emphasizes the necessity for stricter upkeep protocols. Economically, it could push drone producers to put money into extra strong battery techniques, probably growing prices. Regulatory our bodies may additionally tighten requirements for public security drones, particularly as cities like New York broaden their use.
Transferring Ahead: Skydio’s Response
Skydio is actively addressing the difficulty, with Bry confirming that buyer help will monitor analytics for your entire X10 fleet. “Inside the final 24 hours, we’ve recognized a telemetry signature for automobiles exhibiting early warning indicators of this failure mode,” he acknowledged. Alerts will now notify operators of potential points, guaranteeing proactive upkeep. Because the drone business evolves, this incident serves as a reminder of the fragile stability between innovation and reliability in high-stakes purposes.
Images courtesy of NYPD / Skydio
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