Seascape Beach Resort, Aptos, CA
September 25-26, 2024
Skydio Ascend 2024 user conference, held on September 25-26 in Aptos, California, brought together industry leaders and enthusiasts to showcase the latest in autonomous drone technology. This event was Skydio’s second annual user conference, designed to highlight advancements in aerial robotics and the growing applications of drone technology across various sectors.
One of the key highlights was the keynote presentation by Skydio’s CEO, Adam Bry. He revealed exciting product updates, including the much-anticipated launch of the Skydio X10 drone, which is designed for first responders, infrastructure operators, and military use. This drone is equipped with enhanced autonomous capabilities and AI-powered tools to better serve sectors that rely on rapid, efficient data collection and situational awareness in challenging environments.
During his keynote presentation, Adam highlighted Optelos’ advanced AI-powered computer vision capabilities and the actionable insights it provides for asset health monitoring, stating “They’re building an incredible suite of AI analytics. With their platform, you can detect damage, monitor asset health, and assess the overall condition of (assets).”
“They’re building an incredible suite of AI analytics. With their platform, you can detect damage, monitor asset health, and assess the overall condition of (assets).”
Adam Bry, CEO, Skydio
Skydio demonstrated their new highly capable X10 drone and docking station at Skydio Ascend 24 , which is designed for first responders, infrastructure operators, and military use.
Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in live Q&A sessions with Skydio engineers and interact with real-world case studies from industries like public safety, defense, energy, and telecommunications. The Customer Showcase allowed participants to hear firsthand how organizations are utilizing Skydio drones for everything from infrastructure inspection to emergency response, illustrating the practical impact of this technology on safety and operational efficiency.
A major theme of the event was how autonomous drones are revolutionizing workflows in critical industries. For example, Skydio drones are increasingly used for infrastructure inspections in utilities and telecom, helping companies streamline processes and reduce manual labor. The integration of AI and machine learning into these drones allows for automated fault detection and digital twin modeling, as highlighted by partners like Optelos.
Optelos CRO Ed Stzuka was on hand to demonstrate Optelos’ capabilities for managing utility asset imagery and automating grid inspection programs utilizing the Optelos visual data management platform.
Optelos was invited to demonstrate the capabilities of the Optelos visual data management and AI analytics platform, which seamlessly integrates with Skydio Cloud. This integration enables the automatic upload of drone data into the Optelos platform, where it is automatically matched to the relevant asset using image metadata, and is then ready for automated AI analysis.
Optelos provides comprehensive AI management across the entire computer vision AI workflow — from development to deployment and routine retraining. Our platform’s ability to manage both AI algorithms and imagery within a single platform offers unparalleled convenience and new capabilities. Through our integration with Skydio Cloud™, new imagery from Skydio drones can be automatically uploaded to Optelos, where the images can be annotated to retrain the computer vision algorithm, enhancing its accuracy over time. This streamlined process eliminates the need to transfer data between systems, preventing the creation of new data silos and workflow redundancies. Additionally, organizations with strict data security requirements appreciate Optelos’ secure, optimized storage model.
ComEd is utilizing computer vision AI to automatically analyze drone-captured imagery to gain deeper, near real-time insights into the condition of their distribution assets.
At the event, we also shared insights from our project with ComEd on their Advanced Image Analytics program. This initiative leverages drones, vehicle-based camera systems, and mobile devices to capture images, which are then processed using AI for automated defect detection. This enables ComEd to gain deeper, near real-time insights into the condition of their distribution assets. By identifying opportunities and incorporating cross-industry best practices, ComEd is scaling its image analytics program to improve reliability metrics such as SAIFI and SAIDI. This helps them meet organizational goals for reliability, cost efficiency, and predictive analytics.
Optelos has recently published a new white paper outlining our ongoing project with ComEd. The detailed 16-page document can serve as a roadmap for utilities looking to implement drone-based AI technologies to automate their asset inspection programs and enhance operational efficiency. Click on the link below to download this valuable asset.
