ABOUT US

Why?

WE ARE MAKING THE FUTURE OF AVIATION SAFER FOR YOU.

Unmanned aviation is the future of aviation. By 2035, there will be commercial flights across oceans with one or no pilots on board. Around 80% of all aviation accidents are caused by humans, and the safest thing we can do is to automate airborne tasks and also those on the ground. However, despite their foibles, we still need humans to keep an eye on things for a while longer, except maybe in scenarios like this one! Click Here to Watch.

Who?

FIRST WHO, THEN WHAT. WITH GOOD PEOPLE, GREAT THINGS HAPPEN.

When we started Skybase, we started with the famous line from Jim Collins, “First Who, then What”. We have found and fostered the best of the aerospace, aviatio, defence, RF and GIS industries to bring to life some very exciting ventures. We are all passionate people, who believe in the vision, and have the experience, skills and drive to make great things happen.

Key Team Members

Michael

Vision, Support, Test Pilot

Eric

Head of Design & Chief Test Pilot

Maëlle

Product Owner (SOFI)

Brendan

Head of Flight Test

Steve

James

Ray

What?

UPGRADING EXISTING AEROPLANES TO GIVE THEM DRONE “FLIGHT AUTONOMY” CAPABILITIES

Over the last four years, we have learned that trying to get small drones to fly like aeroplanes was expecting too much from them, and placing unreasonable demands upon the regulatory systems we currently have. It made much more sense to work in harmony with the existing regulations and instead, turn aeroplanes into drones.

Why would we do this? It unlocks masses of new capability (e.g. the ability to fly at low level at night, safely, for agricultural benefits, or for aerial firefighting). Fires, crops and even locust plagues keep growing at night, aeroplanes must be able to fly safely at low level at night too.

So, we make an upgrade system for existing aircraft- you can place a pre-order on the SOFI page. In case you’re wondering, yes, it’s an “Intelligent” system so that the pilot just monitors the automated aircraft from the ground, but if you need to get into the aircraft and fly it, you can do that too (optionally piloted). We do it faster and more cost effectively than anyone else in the industry.

How?

NEW ZEALAND TO INCUBATE. NOW THE WORLD.

New Zealand is an ideal place for aerospace technology development and testing. With a rich aerospace ecosystem, a highly regarded regulator and soon-to-be created dedicated testing areas, we can move much faster here than most other places on Earth.

With challenging terrain, brutal weather, a dispersed population and high operating costs, New Zealand is the perfect place to prove that our technology is robust and we can deliver valuable services to our customers with that technology.

We are now growing in the USA, Australia and East Africa.