Earlier this week, U.S. autonomous drone manufacturer, Skydio, launched Skydio 3D Scan, an adaptive scanning software that allows its drones to generate incredibly detailed 3D models of real-world settings with a very high degree of autonomy. 

3D Scan is equipped with advanced artificial intelligence skills that automate photographic data collection and mapping functions for important tasks ranging from infrastructure asset inspection to digital twin generation as well as crime and accident scene reconstruction. 

In real time, objects and locations can be digitized and explored. Bridges and roads that may be in need of structural repair, accident sites, and clients looking to inspect construction sites can receive explicitly detailed, 3D recreations of these scenes. 

According to Skydio, the software has been tested by the likes of the North Carolina Department of Transportation for bridge inspections and the Boston Police Department for crime and accident scene reconstruction. 

In a recent announcement, Skydio claims that early access participants had reported up to 75% faster data capture, 50% greater inspection team output, and 30% lower reinspection rates. 

Skydio’s new software aims to mitigate the shortcomings of manual drones that are limited by their complexity, crash risk, and training costs. As noted by Skydio, manual drones require cumbersome mission planning, constant access to GPS, and intense focus from a skilled pilot to avoid collisions. This comes as industries transition from providing written and two-dimensional inspection reports to fully immersive, annotated 3D models that enable measurements and continuous status tracking. 

Additionally, 3D Scan hopes to rid the safety risks involved with human-conducted inspections that place operators in dangerous environments. 

Paired with Skydio’s drones that feature, what the company calls, its flight autonomy engine, 3D Scan allows these machines to operate largely on their own.

"Manual drones lack the ability to see and understand the 3D nature of the world and, as a result, can't provide a scalable solution to replace traditional methods of inspection," says Hayk Martiros, VP of Autonomy at Skydio. "With 3D Scan, we are turning Skydio drones into intelligent scanning robots that can build real-time flight plans optimized to each scene, and generate the best possible photographic datasets.” 

3D Scan is currently available for the company’s Skydio 2 drone at the price of $2,999 per drone per year.