Skydio CEO argues more drones will make us safer
Today, I’m talking with Slydio CEO Adam Bry, who runs the leading US maker of autonomous drones. We covered a lot in this conversation, including Skydio’s police and government work at a time when military use of AI is more controversial than ever and competing with Chinese drones against the backdrop of the Trump’s administration’s DJI ban.
There’s a lot in this one – maybe more than anything, it was refreshing to hear Adam talk about using AI to bring even more people to work at Skydio as the company expands. I also got to fly a drone, which ruled.
Links:
Sorry kid, drones are for war now | The Verge
The FCC’s foreign drone ban is here | The Verge
Skydio is pivoting to enterprise — its consumer drones are dead | The Verge
Skydio commits $3.5B to expand US manufacturing | Skydio
A US drone maker tries to take back the country’s skies | Bloomberg
DEA looks to add Skydio, Parrot drones to its arsenal | FedScoop
The future of border security isn’t at the border at all | The Verge
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Decoder is produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt and edited by Ursa Wright. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane.
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The invisible infrastructure in the sky | Adam Bry
Drones aren't just weapons of war; they're becoming first responders, infrastructure inspectors and guardians of the grid. Adam Bry, who leads the top drone manufacturer in the US, shows how autonomous drones are transforming emergency response and public safety — from detecting faulty power lines and preventing wildfires to catching crime in real time. During his talk, he demos the technology live from the TED stage, piloting a drone in Tokyo from his laptop in Vancouver.
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The Future of Drone Warfare
War has always been shaped by technology—from steel and gunpowder to GPS and nuclear weapons. But the decisive technologies of tomorrow aren’t coming—they’re already here.
In this episode, recorded live at our third annual American Dynamism Summit, a16z’s Senior National Security Advisor Matt Cronin sits down with Ryan Tseng (cofounder & CEO, Shield AI) and Adam Bry (cofounder & CEO, Skydio) to discuss the rise of autonomous drones, AI-driven warfare, and the escalating great power competition with China. They cover:
Why drones are reshaping the battlefield in Ukraine, Israel, and beyond
The asymmetry of $1,000 drones taking out $10M tanks
Why U.S. drone production lags China—and how to catch up
The ethical and tactical implications of autonomy in combat
What it will take to reindustrialize America and maintain deterrence
If the future of warfare is software-defined, who writes that software—and who deploys it first—matters more than ever.
Resources:
Find Adam on X: https://x.com/adampbry
Find Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryantseng/
Find Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-cronin-8b88811/
See more from the American Dynamism Summit: www. a16z.com/american-dynamism-summit
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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Adam Bry of Skydio is leading the next generation of autonomous drones
When you are skiing down a mountain, riding your bike along a forest trail, or surfing 6-footers, it is hard enough just to concentrate on what you are doing, let alone try to capture a video of the moment.
But what if you could hire a professional videographer to follow you and capture every move?
Well, now you can in the form of AI-powered drones from Skydio. While personal use is just one application, the company has found success across a multitude of use cases. In this episode, we’re joined by Adam Bry, co-founder and CEO of the unicorn startup Skydio, which produces drones that are fully autonomous with AI software as their pilot.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE ROBOT BRAINS PODCAST TODAY | Visit therobotbrains.ai and follow us on YouTube at TheRobotBrainsPodcast, Twitter @therobotbrains, and Instagram @therobotbrains.
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a16z Podcast: The Self-Flying Camera
with Adam Bry (@adampbry), Chris Dixon (@cdixon), and Hanne Tidnam (@omnivorousread)
Now that we've finally reached the age of the truly autonomous commercial small drone -- and in this case, a self-flying camera -- what happens when you take the pilot out of the loop? And what becomes possible that wasn't possible before? That's what this episode of the a16z Podcast covers, with Adam Bry, co-founder and CEO of Skydio, and a16z general partner Chris Dixon, in conversation with Hanne Tidnam.
Beginning with the evolution of the technology that got us here and then going deep under the hood into the tech that makes this possible from propellers to perception, the conversation also covers what it's like to use a drone that follows you around seamlessly; how autonomous drones are different from autonomous cars; and finally, how our relationship and interactions with computers of all kinds will change as they become increasingly powered by AI.
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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