Skyryse Completes an Automated Pickup, Automated Hover and Automated Setdown with the Swipe of a Finger

Skyryse, has announced the successful first flight of a Black Hawk helicopter equipped with SkyOS, the world’s first operating system for flight. 

‍While in flight, Skyryse also executed precision flight maneuvers using SkyOS’ single control stick, and witnessed SkyOS’ maturity on its very first flight, on a new platform. The first flight comes just 91 days after installation of SkyOS began, an accelerated integration timeline built on the company’s decade-plus experience in engineering, testing, and regulatory collaboration, including with the FAA, across multiple aircraft platforms. By successfully integrating and flying its technology on one of the world’s most versatile aircraft, Skyryse has successfully proven that SkyOS is aircraft-agnostic. 

‍“Today, SkyOS demonstrated its maturity and precision on a military-grade aircraft,” said Mark Groden, Founder and CEO of Skyryse. “The Black Hawk is one of the most proven, versatile aircraft in history, and while it’s still the same airframe that many operators know and trust, Black Hawk with SkyOS is fundamentally different aircraft in its capabilities, flexibility and safety. Watching this battle-proven aircraft auto-pickup with the single swipe of a finger, execute a perfect automated hover, effortlessly conduct flight maneuvers with a single control stick, and complete an automated setdown was incredible.”

‍When Skyryse received its first Black Hawk this summer, it featured a traditional architecture – complicated, mechanical linkages and analog systems, requiring high pilot workload at all times. In 91 days, Skyryse replaced legacy OEM with SkyOS, an intelligent, integrated system that gives pilots greater control by simplifying the management of any aircraft during standard flight operations, inclement weather, and emergencies. With a human-machine interface, SkyOS creates a synergistic partnership between human skill and intelligent automation, setting a new standard for safe aviation operations. 

‍Black Hawk with SkyOS is a fully optionally-piloted aircraft that’s easier, safer, and more intuitive to fly, with features including:

• ‍Simplified flight controls, including a streamlined, intuitive interface that reduces pilot workload
• Dramatically improved visibility through a streamlined cockpit, increasing safety and mission effectiveness 
• Inherent stability and real-time safety alerts, continuously monitoring terrain, obstacles, and surrounding aircraft
• Safe envelope protection and enhanced performance in limited visibility
• Reduced weight and added capability, a rare and critical advantage for payload-sensitive missions like military operations, medical evacuation, and aerial firefighting

‍Whether the mission calls for a flight that is dual-piloted, single-piloted, uncrewed or remote-piloted from a ground station, Black Hawk with SkyOS is capable of adapting across all mission profiles. This flexibility offers a powerful force multiplier for military, emergency response, air medical, and firefighting operators – delivering unprecedented, next-generation performance for critical missions. “SkyOS doesn’t promise capability someday. It delivers it now,” said Groden. 

“We’re bringing automation to every existing aircraft, including the Black Hawk, in a way that offers unmatched reliability and flexibility,” said Groden. “Today we’ve proven that SkyOS gives one of the most trusted aircraft ever built, a new life. Black Hawk with SkyOS is the future of vertical lift – safer, simpler, and ready for the missions that matter most.”