EL SEGUNDO, Calif., - Skyryse in El Segundo, Calf. announced receipt of a Special Airworthiness Certificate for its first Skyryse One aircraft.
Skyryse has been developing and flight testing its SkyOS universal operating system in pre-production aircraft since 2016. Skyryse says that SkyOS offers simplified control and an aircraft-agnostic, triply-redundant fly-by-wire system. This certificate, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), enables the next step of work with the FAA to obtain approval and certification of the Skyryse One aircraft.
"Today's milestone represents another important step in our mission of making flight simpler and safer for everyone," said Mark Groden, CEO of Skyryse. "We appreciate the continued cooperation and partnership with the FAA as we work toward our shared goal of eliminating fatalities in aviation."
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Skyryse says it has removed the complex mechanical controls and replaced them with a single four-axis control stick reminiscent of that found in an F-35, thanks to a completely integrated fly-by-wire system and flight control software. The single control stick is combined with two intuitive touch screens, uncluttered by the traditional complex array of boxes, controls, and indicators.
Fully automated autorotation is enabled as the Skyryse SkyOS recognizes a power failure and automatically enters into an autorotation, automating the glide, flare, and set-down, with the pilot in control.
In this situation, helicopter pilots have less than two seconds to perform a fully manual series of multiple control movements in a maneuver called autorotation. Using proprietary redundant flight controls and a suite of sensors, the Skyryse system quickly recognizes a power failure and sets in motion multiple procedures, and with a push of a button, makes the landing uneventful. From entry to steady descent, it lowers the pitch, aligns the nose, manages aircraft stability, completes the flare, and lands at the desired landing location.
