Check out Valley of Depth #037 on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
The U.S. military doesn’t have enough pilots—and automation may be the only way to scale airpower. At the same time, Skyryse is formally launching its new defense unit, bringing its software-defined flight system, SkyOS, into military applications.
On this week’s episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Mark Groden, CEO of Skyryse, to unpack how the company is building a universal operating system for aircraft that can dramatically simplify flight, reduce pilot burden, and enable fully autonomous operations when needed.
The goal is ambitious: turn helicopters and airplanes into flexible, optionally piloted systems that can shift between crewed and uncrewed missions—unlocking a new model for force projection, logistics, and survivability.
The conversation spans the tragic accident that inspired Mark to start Skyryse, why aviation’s biggest safety problem is really a technology problem, how SkyOS works across platforms from Robinson helicopters to Black Hawks, and why defense demand for autonomy is accelerating faster than most people realize.
We cover:
- How SkyOS transforms aircraft into software-defined systems
- Why helicopters are so difficult and dangerous to fly today
- What Skyryse Defense is building for crewed, uncrewed, and autonomous missions
- How optionally piloted aircraft could reshape military logistics and ISR
- How Skyryse’s Series C positions the company for scale
- Why the future battlefield requires simpler, more adaptable systems