Skyryse, ACE partner to equip civilian Black Hawks with advanced flight tech
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Skyryse has announced a partnership with Ace Aeronautics to integrate SkyOS, a universal operating system for flight, into civilian Black Hawk helicopters. The collaboration is expected to retrofit hundreds of Black Hawks with the technology, aiming to enhance flight safety and simplify operations.
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.
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.
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Under the agreement, ACE’s facility in Guntersville, Ala., will serve as the primary hub for installing SkyOS into the helicopters. The Black Hawk, the world’s largest helicopter fleet, remains widely used for critical missions, including public safety and search and rescue operations.
"Skyryse's mission is to make flying so simple that anyone can pilot any aircraft," said Skyryse CEO Dr. Mark Groden. "For 85 years, helicopters have been flown using the same mechanical controls that Igor Sikorsky used in his first flight. We're thrilled to be partnering with Ace Aeronautics to use SkyOS to bring unprecedented simplicity and safety to the most iconic aircraft to wear Sikorsky's name, allowing operators of all experience levels to fly with confidence."
ACE CEO Rich Enderle highlighted the collaboration’s potential to modernize the aircraft’s capabilities, saying "The Black Hawk helicopter is a proven workhorse that has performed countless missions around the world for almost 50 years. Today in partnership with Skyryse, we're ushering in a new era of possibilities. We're excited to partner with the leader in rotorcraft flight controls to enhance the safety and operational capability of the aircraft, and we're looking forward to seeing SkyOS elevate the experience for our customers."
