Skydio CEO argues more drones will make us safer | Decoder

Today, we’re talking with Skydio CEO Adam Bry, who runs the leading U.S. maker of autonomous drones. We covered a lot in this conversation, including Skydio’s work with the police and the US government at a time when military use of AI is more controversial than ever, competing with Chinese drones against the backdrop of the Trump’s administration’s DJI ban, and why Skydio’s customer base is made up more of utility companies than you might suspect. #ai #drones #skydio #tech

Watch our Skydio X10 drone demo here: https://youtu.be/3Vd6b56Mg6U

0:00 – Intro & Overview
1:57 – Interview Begins
2:37 – What Is Skydio?
5:32 – Autonomous Flight & Computer Vision
11:14 – Company Size, Structure & Funding
14:18 – Talent Philosophy & Hiring
19:38 – Decision-Making Framework
22:23 – Hardware vs. Software & AI/Vibe Coding
26:25 – US Ban on Chinese Drones & Manufacturing
32:05 – China Sanctions & DJI Competition
35:44 – Why Skydio Left the Consumer Market
37:46 – Drone Pricing & First Responder Costs
42:17 – Global Markets & Tariff Protection
47:08 – Surveillance, Policing & Civil Liberties
58:27 – Military Red Lines & AI Ethics
1:02:59 – Defense Contractor Identity & Recruiting
1:06:59 – Will Skydio Make Consumer Drones Again?
1:07:43 – Outro

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