The Problem
We Address
Autonomous drones depend on external positioning, such as GNSS, to know where they are — and that dependence is the main limitation.
Signals weaken between buildings and disappear indoors or beneath structures, and they can be interfered with or imitated. When position can be lost or misled, a drone cannot be trusted to operate on its own over people or property. This is a central reason autonomous flight is restricted in the places where it would be most useful.
OUR APPROACH
SKAI surveys a corridor once with high-grade equipment and compiles it into a compact map the drone carries on board. From there, the drone flies the corridor using its own sensors and that map.
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GNSS and other external signals remain available as a secondary input, but the mission does not rely on them — so interference or loss doesn't compromise it. Missions are planned in advance against mapped corridors, making flight behavior predictable and repeatable.
The Opportunity
Autonomous and beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations are expanding, but they remain tightly restricted, especially over people and in populated areas. The limiting factor is usually not the aircraft itself but the assurance that it can operate safely on its own. Knowing reliably where the aircraft is sits at the center of that assurance.
By removing the dependence on external signals, SKAI addresses one of the core barriers between today's restricted operations and the wider autonomous flight that industry and regulators are working toward.
Safety & Certification
Opening restricted operations depends on satisfying aviation regulators that a system is safe. A central part of any such case is that the aircraft can determine its position reliably and isn't exposed to a single point of failure. A drone that localizes from an onboard map — rather than depending on an external signal that can be lost or imitated — presents a stronger, more defensible position on exactly that point.
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SKAI's objective is to use this approach to earn certification for autonomous operations that are not permitted today.
Our Competitive Advantage
Independence from external signals — no reliance on GNSS to complete a mission
No external signal for a malicious actor to jam or imitate
Built for environments where GNSS is degraded or unreliable — urban canyons, near structures, indoors
Predictable, repeatable flight behavior, mission after mission
A clear, defensible basis for regulatory review, working toward certification