Spain's Ministry of Defence selects Skydio X10D autonomous drones in €18 million initial tender

Skydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight, has been awarded a contract by Spain's Ministry of Defence (MINISDEF) to supply autonomous small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) technology to the Spanish Armed Forces. In partnership with Paukner Group, a Spanish defense and security product distributor, Skydio will deliver Skydio X10D drones in a contract worth up to €18 million ($18.7M USD).

“We're honored to support the Spanish Armed Forces with Skydio's most advanced drone platform. This win reflects the growing importance of small drones on the modern battlefield,” says Adam Bry, CEO and co-founder at Skydio. “X10D – with onboard AI, autonomy, and powerful sensors – is resilient in contested environments, making it the ideal choice for Spain's Armed Forces human-machine teaming missions.”

Over the past five years, Skydio drones have been chosen by every branch of the U.S. Department of Defense, plus those of 25 allied nations. Skydio X10D, which began shipping to customers in 2024, is ideal for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) applications critical to defense and government agencies and delivers the best of human-machine teaming with capabilities including:

• Unparalleled sensor technology, advanced autonomous navigation, and a modular, open architecture that is critical for the dynamic nature of military needs.
• Resiliency in the face of electronic warfare with onboard AI.
• Rapid deployment at scale drawing on Skydio's proven record of shipping more than 45,000 drones.
• Dual-use benefits with Skydio X10 serving the demands of over 2,500 commercial and public organizations every day. 

The Spanish Army will deploy X10D for a wide range of missions, including force protection, reconnaissance, facility security, crowd control, target acquisition, and command post support.