Skyryse lands another $300M to make flying, even helicopters, simple and safe

Skyryse, an aviation automation company based in El Segundo, has raised more than $300 million in a Series C funding round, pushing the company’s valuation to $1.15 billion and officially making it a unicorn.

The investment round, announced Tuesday and led by Autopilot Ventures, provides a significant boost for Skyryse as it approaches the final stages of a lengthy certification process with the Federal Aviation Administration for its flight control system. The new capital will also support broader deployment of the company’s operating system, SkyOS, across a wide range of aircraft, including Black Hawk helicopters used by the U.S. military.

Additional participants in the funding round include Fidelity Management & Research Company, ArrowMark Partners, Atreides Management LP, BAM Elevate, Baron Capital Group, Durable Capital Partners, Positive Sum, Qatar Investment Authority, RCM Private Markets Fund managed by Rokos Capital Management, and Woodline Partners. Founded in 2016, Skyryse has now raised more than $605 million in equity funding.

The startup has gained traction not only with investors, but also with the U.S. military, emergency medical service operators, law enforcement agencies, and private aviation customers interested in its simplified flight-control technology. Skyryse has removed dozens of traditional mechanical controls — including gauges and switches — and replaced them with a system powered by multiple flight computers that automate some of the most complex and dangerous elements of flying.

While Skyryse’s technology does not remove the pilot from the cockpit, it is designed to automate the most challenging aspects of flight, enhance pilot capability, and significantly improve safety.

That focus on simplicity — including touchscreen controls that can be operated with a swipe — has attracted customers such as United Rotorcraft, Air Methods, and Mitsubishi Corporation. These companies have signed agreements with Skyryse to integrate SkyOS into a variety of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

Skyryse began developing and testing its system on helicopters, widely regarded as among the most unstable and challenging aircraft to operate. The company’s broader vision, however, is that SkyOS can be adapted to virtually any aircraft. Its initial platform, known as Skyryse One, automates takeoff and landing and fully manages hover and engine-out emergency landings. The system has since been integrated into Black Hawk helicopters.

The company has also made meaningful progress with regulators. Last year, the FAA granted final design approval for Skyryse’s SkyOS flight control computers. To secure full certification, the startup must complete formal flight testing and system verification, the final significant step in bringing its technology to widespread commercial use.