Skyryse gets another $300 million in funding to make flying, even helicopters, easier and safer

Skyryse, an El Segundo, California-based aviation automation startup, has raised more than $300 million in Series C funding, making its valuation $1.15 billion and a unicorn share.

The round, which was announced Tuesday and led by Autopilot Ventures, gave the startup a multimillion-dollar boost as it nears the end of a long Federal Aviation Administration certification process for its flight control systems. The center will also be used to integrate its operating system, known as SkyOS, across multiple aircraft, including the US military’s Black Hawk helicopters.

Other investors in the sector 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. The startup, which was founded in 2016, has raised more than $605 million in capital.

Skyryse has joined investors and the US military, emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, and pilots for its easy-to-fly method. The startup has done away with manual mechanical controls like gauges and switches and replaced them with multiple on-board computers that manage the complexities and dangers of flying.

This is not a standalone system; the pilot still has to work. But it was designed to make flying more difficult, increase pilot efficiency, and improve safety.

That simplicity and ease of use – real Move your finger on the touchscreen – has won over companies such as United Rotorcraft, Air Methods, and Mitsubishi Corporation, which have contracts with Skyryse to integrate SkyOS on various types of helicopters and airplanes.

Skyryse began building and testing its system on helicopters, one of the most unstable aircraft in operation. But the idea is that SkyOS can be used on any plane. The first system, known as Skyryse One, uses a take-off and landing system and is powered by a rotating engine. The company also integrated systems for Black Hawk helicopters.

Skyryse has advanced in its certification process with the Federal Aviation Administration. Last year, the FAA issued the final approval for the SkyOS air traffic control company’s computer system. Skyryse must now complete flight testing and certification to achieve full certification.