Air Mobility Command aims to scale a standardized training model across the larger mobility force following the completion of a specialized qualification program for the Skydio X10D small unmanned aircraft system on September 3, 2026, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The initiative is designed to significantly shorten inspection timelines and reduce safety risks for personnel performing maintenance on C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Maintainers now use the drone’s high-resolution cameras and thermal sensors to examine the aircraft from the ground, eliminating tasks that previously required working at height for extended periods. While liaisons demonstrated back in 2025 that the system could complete a C-17 inspection in roughly 40 minutes, the 62d Maintenance Group has now formalized flight-line procedures, safety protocols, and qualification standards so the model can be replicated across other units, as reported by DVIDS.
Staff Sgt. Marcuscio McCampbell, a crew chief with the 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, noted that upper-wing inspections that once took considerably longer can now be completed more quickly with the drone. Tech. Sgt. Austen Russell, an instructor in the maintenance qualification training program, emphasized that learning autonomous systems keeps airmen out of potentially hazardous positions while reducing overall inspection duration.
Skydio systems have already been fielded for aircraft maintenance across the Department of the Air Force. Personnel from the 62d Maintenance Group wrapped up this foundational effort through a four-day hands-on training course combining classroom instruction with practical flights, marking the first full implementation of a dedicated sUAS qualification track for the C-17 fleet.
