SkyRyse announced this week that it has raised $25 million to fund operations related to its advanced pilot assistance system (APAS) that combines artificial intelligence, a flight perception suite, and decision-making algorithms. APAS is designed to reduce pilot workload and human error and to work with any vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, which includes already certified helicopters.
In January, SkyRyse plans to begin operations in Tracy, California, with Robinson R44s, providing support to the city's emergency response units, including law enforcement, search-and-rescue missions, and firefighters. The SkyRyse service will include helicopters equipped with its APAS, a mobile application and a network of pilots to transport emergency responders up to four times faster than ground response systems and lower costs.
“Because the stakes are highest in emergency response situations when minutes can mean the difference between life and death, we're launching SkyRyse Emergency Response to support governments and municipalities first, with plans to change how we get around our cities in the future,” said SkyRyse CEO Mark Groden.
“While there's a lot of hype and speculation around the promise of self-driving cars, the future of transportation is in the sky,” said Ethan Batraski of Venrock, one of SkyRyse's funders.