Most American drone manufacturers rely on the Auterion PX4 flight controller, which was just upgraded to include an encrypted digital remote and video feed via Skynav.
It is not news to most pilots that American Drone manufacturers are having a hard time competing with DJI on drone features or avionics. From consumer to enterprise drones, DJI is not just ahead of the pack, they’re on another planet when compared to just about every other manufacturer. Those days are now seriously numbered with the advancement of video transmission and command-control link technology for drones.
While DJI has mastered the art of flight, obstacle avoidance, and autonomous features they also opened the door to 3rd Party developers. Through the software developer kit, DJI allows companies to create apps for services like drone mapping. Not only does DJI offer world class drones, they offer an ecosystem for numerous apps and niche deliverables through autonomous capabilities. While DJI has assumed the lead, Auterion is empowering American Manufacturers to compete and grow in the American drone market.
Auterion has manufactured the PX4 flight controller, which is the heart of most American built drones including the Alta X. Albeit the PX4 has evolved to offer more advanced solutions like the Skynode, which enables remote connectivity via 5G.
Now Auturion Government Solutions is poised to offer drone manufacturers an updated method of controlling the drones and providing digital image transmission and increased security through Skynav.
Auterion Empowers Drone Manufacturers to Compete
Skynav is an encrypted command-and-control remote controller with an encrypted digital video transmission system. The website states the new drone solution meets government certifications and standards. 
This new remote controller and video transmission system, brought to you by Skynav Gov, will allow for drones that can compete with manufactures like DJI by offering a variety of features. Before we move into the specifications and features of this new digital remote system, there are some excited potential benefits from this new product.
As a drone pilot, I assume this digital image system would increase the range of any American made drone. Which most american drones fall extremely short in transmission/control distance when compared to something like Lightbridge 2 from DJI. (Lightbridge 2 is the video transmission system that is used on the Mavic 2, Inspire 2, and Phantom 4 Pro.
In addition, This digital system would allow for a more consistent and reliable signal. This may seem like peanuts to most of you reading this article. Albeit, this Skynav system would make any American drone exponentially more practical. Frankly, the drones would actually be commercially viable and would rival the features, efficiency and reliability of DJI drones.
Practical Example of Why this Matters.
When Mapping baseball stadiums and armed with a DJI Phantom, it was easy to map the entire facility in 4-5 hours. Albeit 10-12 batteries would be necessary, it was plausible. When attempting to map the same stadium with an american drone like the 3DR Solo and Yuneec H520, it was impossible to finish the mission in a single day. Both drones, paired with dumb batteries and 500′ linear flight distance…mapping a stadium was near impossible and unpractical.
Auterion’s release of this new digital transmission system is rather exciting. The ripple effect of this particular product release is enormous. Skynav paired with Skynode or PX4 will create powerful drones from a wide variety of manufacturers.
Skynav will allow manufacturers to create drones that can fly further and more reliably, opening the door to many drone jobs.
Skynav Features
PX4 flight controller, paired with Skynav will allow pilots to fly any drone that is already utilizing the MAVlink protocol. This will empower many american drone manufacturers (unlike the dead Solo) This also means that Skynav can control any Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or any Unmanned Ground Vehicle.
Flexibility: User can control a variety of vehicles from multi-rotors, FPV drones, VTOL aircraft or even fixed wing drones.
Durability: The remote is IP65 rated, in addition it is MIL-STD-810G rated as well. Remember, the DJI remotes are not waterproof or IP rated.
Government Compliant: Skynav Gov is fully compliant with the United States 2020 National Defense Authorization Act section 848.
Long Distance Autonomy: Skynav Gov supports three different radio transceivers to operate various functions onboard (Microhard, Silvus, Persistent Systems) and has built-in LTE for long distance and BVLOS missions.
Not just for drones, also for Jetsons
Auterion has made some interesting partnerships from GE to Honeywell. We suspect to see Auterion technology paired with larger vehicles to enhance Urban Air Mobility.
This exciting new product will empower larger drone missions, critical infrastructure missions, oil & gas inspections, pipeline inspections, search and rescue operations and so much more. American Manufacturers will have an option to provide increased security, flexibility and reliability to empower the American Economy.
Thanks for Reading,
PS: Drone U members master flight operations by taking the Don’t Crash Course, Then “Drills & Exercises,” then “Advanced Aerial Videography. Fly smooth, fly close and fly low.
-Paul Aitken,
Call Sign: TaitkenFlight
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