Los Angeles-based aerospace startup Skyryse put 70-year-old U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) in the left seat of a Robinson R44 recently. Brownley—who is a member of the House Aviation Subcommittee but not a pilot—flew the helicopter with the assistance of Skyryse’s touchpad FlightOS system. Monitored by a safety pilot in the right seat, Brownley flew the helicopter after just a few minutes of training. “Having a computer that knows exactly how to fly just completely enhances aviation to a level that we’ve never seen before,” she said.
FlightOS leverages fly-by-wire hardware and software that automates most actions, increases interoperability across aircraft, and automatically keeps pilots within a safe flight envelope. It also is designed to safely manage the aircraft through emergencies and almost all weather conditions, according to the company.
Skyryse has raised more than $260 million to develop FlightOS from investors including Fidelity Management & Research Company, Monashee Investment Management, ArrowMark Partners, Venrock, Eclipse Ventures, Cantos, Stanford University, and Ford Motor Co. executive chair Bill Ford.
- General Aviation