Skyryse said Wednesday that it has partnered with Robinson Helicopter Company’s Robinson Unmanned unit to integrate SkyOS into the Robinson R66. The companies said the project is intended to produce a Group 4 unmanned aircraft system for defense missions.
The R66-based aircraft is being developed for missions including collaborative combat aircraft operations, air-launched effects, manned-unmanned teaming and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Skyryse said the work will use Robinson’s existing production base and the two companies’ Southern California facilities, which are located within about 30 miles of each other.
Skyryse founder and CEO Mark Groden said the partnership is intended to move the system toward defense use through an existing rotorcraft production line.
“Defense agencies need autonomous aircraft that are reliable, affordable and available now, not years from now,” Groden said. “Robinson gives us the production infrastructure to deliver at scale and at a cost point that meets real-world, time-critical needs. This partnership accelerates our ability to put proven, SkyOS-powered autonomous aircraft into the hands of defense operators.”
Robinson President and CEO David Smith said the program fits into the company’s unmanned aircraft work through Robinson Unmanned, its UAS subsidiary.
“Manufacturing the SkyOS-powered, R66-based 4 UAS is a natural extension of what Robinson does best – producing reliable, high-quality aircraft at scale,” Smith said. “By integrating SkyOS into Robinson’s production ecosystem, we’re helping bring advanced autonomy to a proven aircraft platform while creating a scalable pathway for future operational capabilities.”
SkyOS is Skyryse’s aviation operating system that combines hardware and software intended to simplify aircraft control and add automation to flight operations. According to Skyryse, the system is designed to assist pilots during normal flight, weather-related situations and emergencies, and it is being used as the basis for the company’s Skyryse One aircraft.
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