SkyRyse Introduces Advanced Automation to VTOL Aircraft

A new company called SkyRyse announced its launch on Tuesday in a press release, that aims to introduce advanced levels of automation in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Made up of aerospace experts from Boeing, SpaceX, Tesla, Uber, and the military, the company aims to “deliver fast, safe, and affordable air transportation that is unbound by today’s transportation infrastructure.”

"Every year, billions of hours are wasted in traffic and spent following inefficient travel corridors, taxing our well-being and economic productivity,” said Mark Groden, CEO and co-founder of SkyRyse, in the release.

In order to fulfill this goal, SkyRyse has built an advanced pilot assistance system (APAS), which combines Artificial Intelligence, a flight perception suite and decision-making algorithms. With APAS, SkyRyse hopes to reduce human error and lessen the workload of the pilot. The company hopes to introduce the APAS technology in any FAA-approved VTOL aircraft. SkyRyse plans to start operating in Tracy, California, this upcoming January, providing support to Tracy’s emergency response units.

“We are building an air transportation service that is not limited by today's infrastructure. Because the stakes are highest in emergency response situations when minutes can mean the difference between life and death, we’re launching SkyRyse Emergency Response to support governments and municipalities first, with plans to change how we get around our cities in the future,” Groden said, in the release.

As of now, SkyRyse has raised $25 million in seed and Series A funding led by Venrock, but also including Eclipse, Stanford University, Industry Ventures, Trucks VC, and Engage Ventures.