Skyryse, of El Segundo, California, builds SkyOS, a fly-by-wire operating system that automates helicopter and small-aircraft flying, with an AI assistant, Skylar, for radio and navigation tasks.
Founded in 2016 with more than 100 staff, it raised more than 300 million US dollars at a 1.15 billion valuation in February 2026. SkyOS flight control is deterministic automation; Skylar is the AI element. The FAA granted design approval for its flight control computers in 2025, and certification flight testing is under way.
A US Army agreement applies SkyOS to Black Hawks; it first flew on one in December 2025. Air Methods, United Rotorcraft, CAL FIRE and Mitsubishi Corporation have integration partnerships, with deliveries awaiting certification.
Aviation AI deployments and updates
01 / Reported · unverified
Skyryse partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation to explore SkyOS in Japan
Skyryse announced a partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation on 14 July 2025 to explore SkyOS integration on rotorcraft and fixed-wing platforms, as part of its expansion into Japan.
CAL FIRE and Skyryse are exploring optionally piloted aerial firefighting, with Skyryse planning to install its SkyOS system on firefighting aircraft, FLYING reported on 2 July 2025.
Air Methods plans to retrofit more than 400 of its single-engine helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft with Skyryse's FlightOS automation system, under a partnership the two companies announced on 28 April 2022.
Air Methods also invested USD 5 million in Skyryse.
SkyOS is Skyryse's universal flight operating system, a self-contained, aircraft-agnostic hardware and software platform that replaces conventional mechanical flight controls with a four-axis control stick, dual touchscreen displays, and a fly-by-wire system.
The problem it addresses
Reduces pilot workload, eliminates loss-of-control accidents, enables non-pilots and low-hour pilots to safely operate helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, removes hundreds of mechanical failure points, and enables optionally piloted and autonomous operations for military and emergency services.
Key features
Four-axis full authority digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system
Dynamic envelope protection, continuously keeps aircraft within safe operational limits
Automated autorotation, world's first fully automated engine-out autorotation (Guinness World Record, 2023)
Hover Assist, stable hands-free hover without pedal or flight control input
14 more features
Automated engine start, pickup (takeoff), and setdown (landing) via single finger swipe
Autoflight, hands-free IFR flight plan and procedure execution
Emergency Autoland, single-tap passenger-initiated autonomous landing (announced March 2026)
System-initiated autorotation and automated emergency management
Vortex Ring State (VRS) protection
Low G hazard protection, hot start avoidance, overtorque protection
10,000+ simulated flight hours including injected anomalies
600+ automated pickups and 600+ automated setdowns demonstrated
Certifications and approvals
FAA STC application filed April 10, 2023 for Robinson Model R66 (Type Certificate R00015LA)
FAA for-credit flight testing underway as of February 2026, STC not yet awarded
FAA special conditions proposed August 2024 (Docket 2024-19329) for interaction of systems and structures
FAA special conditions proposed November 2025 (Docket FAA-2025-2303) for static longitudinal stability
FAA MOSAIC Final Rule (August 2025) embraces Simplified Vehicle Operations (SVO) standards aligned with SkyOS design
Verified deployments
Mitsubishi Corporation () – Skyryse partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation to explore SkyOS in JapanCAL FIRE () – CAL FIRE and Skyryse explore optionally piloted firefighting with SkyOS
Skyryse One is a production helicopter, a Robinson R66 retrofitted with SkyOS, marketed as the world's first aircraft capable of automated engine start, pickup, autorotation, and stable hover with a single finger swipe.
The problem it addresses
Makes IFR helicopter operations accessible to low-hour and fixed-wing pilots, eliminates mechanical complexity and failure points, reduces the cost barrier for IFR-capable helicopters, and demonstrates SkyOS in a certified production platform.
Key features
Single four-axis control stick replacing cyclic, collective, and pedals
Dual customizable touchscreen displays
Automated engine start (swipe to start)
Automated pickup (swipe to takeoff)
12 more features
Automated setdown (swipe to land)
Fully automated autorotation (Guinness World Record, 2023)
Hover Assist for hands-free stable hover
Dynamic envelope protection and inherent stability
IFR capable, first IFR-capable helicopter below $2,000,000
Removes 100+ traditional parts, eliminates 324+ mechanical failure points
Automated engine and rotor system protection (prevents over-torque, over-temperature, overspeed)
Low G hazard protection
Vortex Ring State protection
IMC recovery
Airframe, rotor system, and Rolls-Royce RR300 turbine retained from R66
Technical specifications (7)
Based on Robinson R66 airframe (Type Certificate R00015LA, FAA certified 2010)
Rolls-Royce RR300 turbine powerplant (retained from R66)
Maximum takeoff weight: 2,700 lbs (per R66 type certificate)
Single-engine, five-passenger capacity
Built in Torrance, CA (Robinson Helicopters facility)
Triplex electromechanical actuators (jam-tolerant, similar to fighter jets and Airbus)
Pull tubes and hydraulic systems removed
Certifications and approvals
FAA STC pending, applied April 10, 2023; for-credit flight testing underway as of February 2026
FAA special conditions issued (Dockets 2024-19329 and FAA-2025-2303) addressing fly-by-wire interaction of systems and static longitudinal stability
Robinson R66 base airframe certified by FAA in 2010 under Type Certificate R00015LA
Fast Company Best Transportation Design of 2024 award
Verified deployments
Mitsubishi Corporation () – Skyryse partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation to explore SkyOS in JapanCAL FIRE () – CAL FIRE and Skyryse explore optionally piloted firefighting with SkyOSAir Methods () – Skyryse FlightOS retrofit plan for more than 400 Air Methods aircraft
Skylar is an AI flight assistant integrated into SkyOS, announced September 29, 2025. It adds a Large Language Model (LLM) layer on top of SkyOS's deterministic AI architecture to provide voice and touch-based copilot support across all phases of flight.
The problem it addresses
Reduces pilot workload from pre-flight planning through shutdown by automating communication monitoring, ATC instruction integration, weather tracking, and situational awareness functions. Allows pilots to concentrate on flying rather than managing information sources.
Key features
LLM-based AI layer integrated into SkyOS deterministic expert AI architecture
Monitors ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) automatically
Monitors ATC communications and traffic automatically
Weather monitoring and assessment
6 more features
Pilot can insert ATC instructions into flight plan with a finger swipe
Support through all phases of flight: pre-flight planning, startup, in-flight operations, and shutdown
Access to all SkyOS data: flight controls, localization, engine, and aircraft systems
Universal compatibility across helicopters and airplanes
Designed for commercial, private, military, and emergency response fleets
Always-on design for continuous workload reduction
Technical specifications (4)
Integrates LLM with SkyOS deterministic expert AI system
Deterministic AI base ensures same output for same input (predictability and consistency)
Leverages SkyOS flight data across commercial, military, and emergency verticals for continual improvement
Built in-house by Skyryse
Certifications and approvals
Skyryse has stated Skylar STC will be pursued after core SkyOS STC is awarded for Skyryse One
Profile data from the Aerostack companies register; deployment records from the verified register. Evidence grades: T1 first-party confirmation, T2 credible reporting. See Our approach for how records are graded.
Aerostack companies register
Aerostack tracks AI deployments across airports and airlines, with the published evidence behind each record. Photography is real aviation imagery. Record thumbnails may show the named airport or airline; other photographs do not.
