Advancing the Use of AI and Blockchain Technology for Air Traffic Management

SkyGrid Advancing the Use of AI and Blockchain Technology for Air Traffic Management

Today, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are making their mark in various industries, especially in government and defense operations. The global military drone market is progressing at an unprecedented pace, and the technology and its application to military operations continue to expand across the world. The growing global military UAV market is projected to reach $26.12 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 12.78%. The considerable increase in UAVs used for defense, EMS, fire, and law enforcement demands a groundbreaking approach to operate these autonomous vehicles safely and efficiently in first responder scenarios such as search and rescue missions, heavy lift cargo, fire response, and medical evacuation. 

New technologies have real potential to assist first responders. For instance, UAVs could make response faster, more targeted, keep responders safer, and provide opportunities for missions impossible for manned aircraft. However, these UAVs also require unique air traffic management solutions, advanced communications to keep everyone aware of what’s happening on the ground and in the sky, and onboarding tools to let them operate safely. 

Working to tackle these challenges  

SkyGrid, in partnership with SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS) and LIFT Aircraft, has been awarded a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) through its SBIR Phase II program to advance the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology for air traffic management. 

Together, our companies will help enable the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to safely and efficiently operate unmanned aerial vehicles in first responder scenarios by applying AI and blockchain technology to manage the airspace for autonomous vehicles, specifically HEXA, LIFT’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. 

AI-powered platform to optimize air traffic management 

Artificial intelligence is a key driver in revolutionizing air traffic management systems. Built on AI, the SkyGrid platform takes a smarter approach to aerial mobility.    

For example, SkyGrid’s AI algorithms analyze crucial data, such as airspace traffic, local conditions, ground risks, flight restrictions, and weather forecasts to avoid hazardous conditions. Equipped with AI, in-flight monitoring to ensure safe operations and optimal paths is possible. Our system also monitors drone flights in real-time and notifies operators of anomalies, automatically generating new routes to avoid obstacles or restricted airspace. 

AI-powered air traffic management enables intelligent deconfliction of flights based on real-world variables by sensing and avoiding other aircraft and objects with pre-flight and in-flight deconfliction capabilities. Continuous fleet health monitoring and predictive maintenance optimize drone fleets and reduce time to service with fleet performance recommendations. Our AI-based system automatically generates maintenance tickets and assigns them to technicians upon landing at a facility and tracks all drones, flight logs, and service records in a single dashboard.   

Blockchain-based airspace management to ensure immutable data reporting  

Blockchain technology helps eliminate the potential for human error in the airspace. Augmented with smart contracts, blockchain is the key to ensuring unmanned flights comply with the airspace rules and regulations.  

An airspace system built on blockchain technology makes it easy for operators to share accurate flight plans in real-time and maintain high standards of auditability. Our blockchain-backed system assigns a unique ID to every drone and maintains a real-time record of each drone’s status, flight details (e.g., altitude, location, operator), and maintenance history, as historical flight logs are also crucial to ensure the security and integrity of data exchanged between operators, authorities, and service suppliers. Each flight log is linked to the previous record with cryptography, so they can’t be altered retroactively.  

The decentralized nature of a blockchain system also provides more security than traditional, centralized storage since there’s not one database a bad actor can compromise. This approach enables authorities to analyze flight data and determine a sequence of events with certainty. It gives organizations a secure, accurate record of their flights to evaluate performance and optimize operations.  

Leading the way to advance air traffic management 

By combining SGS’s advanced AI technologies, SkyGrid’s AI and blockchain-based airspace management capabilities, and LIFT’s state-of-the-art UAVs, our companies will develop an air traffic management solution that provides defense, EMS, fire, and law enforcement with the means to advance their missions and more quickly respond to emergency situations. 

SkyGrid Partners with SparkCognition Government Systems and LIFT Aircraft to Advance the Use of AI for Air Traffic Management

SkyGrid Partners with SparkCognition Government Systems and LIFT Aircraft to Advance the Use of AI for Air Traffic Management

US Air Force’s research lab awards contract to advance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management based on SGS’s artificial intelligence, SkyGrid’s space technology, and Lift’s HEXA aircraft 

AUSTIN, Texas, March 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, is pleased to announce its partnership with SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS) and LIFT Aircraft Inc. The companies will apply AI and blockchain technology to manage the airspace for autonomous vehicles, specifically HEXA, LIFT’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This partnership comes through a contract milestone with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) through its SBIR Phase II program and will help enable the United States Air Force (USAF) to safely and efficiently operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in first responder scenarios such as search and rescue missions, heavy lift cargo, fire response, and medical evacuation. 

“UAVs already play a critical role in government and defense operations, and going forward will undoubtedly become more integral as the technology and its application to military operations continue to expand across the world,” said Logan Jones, President and General Manager at SGS. “Our teams at SGS, LIFT, and SkyGrid recognized the need for a safe airspace management system optimized for military missions, which enables seamless and efficient operations, improves security, and ultimately saves lives. We’re excited to work together to deliver a cutting-edge solution to the Air Force through this partnership.”  

Through the SBIR contract, the companies will address the growing global military drone market, which is projected to reach $26.12 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 12.78%, and secure the operation of sensitive autonomous missions. By combining SGS’s advanced AI technologies with SkyGrid’s blockchain-based airspace management capabilities and LIFT’s state-of-the-art UAVs, the companies will develop an air traffic management solution that provides defense, EMS, fire, and law enforcement with the means to advance their missions and more quickly respond to emergency situations.  

  

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About SkyGrid: 

SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, is powering the next generation of autonomous aviation. As the only airspace management system built on AI and blockchain technologies, SkyGrid solves the industry’s biggest challenges integrating unmanned aircraft into complex, rapidly changing airspace. SkyGrid’s intelligent system monitors, predicts, and adapts to changes in environment conditions, aircraft performance, and regulatory dynamics to safely enable a wide variety of commercial drone operations from package deliveries to aerial taxis. SkyGrid is also an FAA approved LAANC service supplier, providing flight authorizations to thousands of drone operators in the US. To learn more about SkyGrid, visit www.skygrid.com.  

  

For Media Inquiries:  

Carla Repsold 

Marketing Manager 

crepsold@skygrid.com 

 

About SparkCognition Government Systems: 

SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS), a wholly owned subsidiary of SparkCognition, is the first artificial intelligence (AI) company devoted entirely to government and national defense. By developing and operationalizing next-generation AI-powered systems, SGS enables government organizations to meet the needs of their most pressing national security missions. Using technologies built in the United States, SGS advances government operations by analyzing complex data to inform and accelerate intelligent decisions, applying predictive and prescriptive analytics to improve logistics, deploying autonomy technology for power projection systems, using natural language processing for large scale processing of unstructured data, and more. For in-depth information about SGS and its offerings visit: www.sparkgov.ai.  

 

For Media Inquiries: 

Cara Schwartzkopf 

Communications Manager 

cschwartzkopf@sparkcognition.com

  

About Lift Aircraft  

Austin, Texas-based LIFT Aircraft is leading the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) revolution. LIFT is working with the US Air Force and first response organizations to utilize their aircraft for defense and public service while also launching the world’s first experiential entertainment business based on an entirely new type of personal, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. HEXA, LIFT Aircraft’s multi-rotor, amphibious, ultralight vehicle democratizes the experience of piloting an aircraft, making the joy and utility of personal, vertical flight accessible to all. 

Find out more at www.liftaircraft.com 

 

Contact: 

Kristin Giffin  

Director of Marketing and Communications 

kristin@liftaircraft.com 

SkyGrid Launches Autonomous Remote UAV Operations Solution

Remote UAV Operations Solution

Company’s remote flight operations capability is a ready-to-use solution that enables drone operators to remotely conduct missions, control flights, manage fleets and view live video feeds 

AUSTIN, Texas, October 6, 2021 – SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, announced today that it has released a new autonomous remote UAV operations capability to allow flight managers and operators to control and execute flights from remote locations. Using artificial intelligence and a broad array of airspace-related data feeds, SkyGrid is enabling safe remote operations for missions involving single and multiple drones. 

Organizations can use SkyGrid to facilitate routine inspections over an area of interest and generate optimal flight paths for multiple flight segments. These optimized segments are then linked automatically to create complete routes. The company’s advanced route generation capabilities create the safest route for each drone based on the flight plan, environmental conditions, the vehicle’s performance, and the mission criteria with minimum onsite support required for flight operations. With the new remote UAV operations functionality, SkyGrid will now allow remote operators to create and deploy these automated missions to a fleet of geographically disbursed aerial vehicles. 

In addition to enabling remote management of drone fleets and creation of missions, SkyGrid Launch also allows video feeds from drones to be consolidated to a remote central location, such as a ground station. Operators can choose to integrate with precision landing and docking stations for full autonomy and access all flight metrics and visualizations on a single dashboard with an easy-to-use interface. For full regulatory compliance, operators and pilots on the ground are kept “in the loop” and can take over whenever required. SkyGrid recommends all customers and users obtain any necessary regulatory approvals for remote operations or for managing multiple drones. 

“This solution enables drone operators to optimize their human resources and reduce the cost of UAV operations. Drones deployed at multiple sites can now easily be operated from control centers. Subject to regulatory approvals, SkyGrid customers can augment or replace on-site pilots and enable higher sortie rates at lower cost.” said Amir Husain, CEO and founder of SkyGrid. “SkyGrid Launch allows important use cases such as unmanned public safety surveillance, inspection of pipelines, mines, and construction projects to be addressed at nation-wide or even global scale.” 

SkyGrid is partnered with Raytheon Technologies and has fully integrated with its Multi-platform Automation Re-hosting Solution (MARS) to launch remote UAV operations. 

“Leveraging our MARS technology with SkyGrid Launch will enhance the operator experience and allow them to scale and expand their operations,” said Denis Donohue, vice president, Communications & Airspace Management Systems for Raytheon Intelligence & Space. “Operators can manage everyone on one dashboard for a flawless experience. SkyGrid is a strategic partner and with Raytheon’s decades of experience working in controlled airspace, together we will unlock the full potential of unmanned aviation.” 

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About SkyGrid  

SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, is powering the next generation of autonomous aviation. As the only airspace management system built on AI and blockchain technologies, SkyGrid solves the industry’s biggest challenges integrating unmanned aircraft into complex, rapidly changing airspace. SkyGrid’s intelligent system monitors, predicts, and adapts to changes in environment conditions, aircraft performance, and regulatory dynamics to safely enable a wide variety of commercial drone operations from package deliveries to aerial taxis. SkyGrid is also an FAA approved LAANC service supplier, providing flight authorizations to thousands of drone operators in the US. 

For Media Enquiries 

Carla Repsold 

Marketing Manager 

crepsold@skygrid.com 

(512) 568 4886 

SkyGrid Signs Space Act Agreement with NASA

SkyGrid partners with NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign to collaborate on operations infrastructure and airspace simulation.

AUSTIN, Texas, July 13, 2021 – SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company has been selected to participate in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign. The award focuses on system development through integrated vehicle and airspace demonstrations in real-world scenarios. Developing a safe and effective aerial mobility infrastructure is a critical prerequisite to large scale commercialization of air taxis, cargo delivery aircraft and other new air vehicle concepts.

SkyGrid is one of only thirteen companies and institutions that have been chosen for a Space Act Agreement to work with NASA to define and develop the future of advanced aerial mobility (AAM). SkyGrid will participate in National Campaign-1 (NC-1) by developing future airspace system capabilities based on its AerialOS platform. NC-1 will include flight demonstrations and simulations at test sites around the country over several months in 2022.

“The National Campaign team is excited to conduct operational flight demonstrations with the first Advanced Air Mobility integrated experimental ecosystem for the urban environment that connects airspace providers, infrastructure services, and a UAM vehicle in real time,” said Starr Ginn, AAM National Campaign lead.

As an infrastructure and airspace partner, SkyGrid will collaborate with NASA to address key safety and integration challenges necessary to develop aviation markets for passenger and cargo transportation. SkyGrid will also focus on critical operational challenges such as air to air conflict management, community impact, interoperability among novel vehicles, airspace management systems, and urban infrastructure.

“We are excited to work with NASA and be part of the Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign. Together, we will define when, where and how to safely and securely integrate manned and unmanned vehicles in our national and global airspace.” said Amir Husain, CEO and founder of SkyGrid. “With our fast-maturing AerialOS platform, SkyGrid is already working to unlock the future of mobility. This partnership with NASA will allow us to more broadly collaborate with key industry participants and demonstrate the progress SkyGrid has made in a very brief time.”

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About SkyGrid

SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, is powering the next generation of autonomous aviation. As the only airspace management system built on AI and blockchain technologies, SkyGrid solves the industry’s biggest challenges integrating unmanned aircraft into complex, rapidly changing airspace. SkyGrid’s intelligent system monitors, predicts, and adapts to changes in environment conditions, aircraft performance, and regulatory dynamics to safely enable a wide variety of commercial drone operations from package deliveries to aerial taxis. SkyGrid is also an FAA approved LAANC service supplier, providing flight authorizations to thousands of drone operators in the US.

For Media Enquiries 

Carla Repsold

Marketing Manager

crepsold@skygrid.com

HyperWerx: Building the Future

HyperWerx: Building the Future

Amir Husain is the CEO & founder of SkyGrid, provider of airspace management services for commercial drone operators, enterprises, and aviation authorities. Husain explains how building the HyperWerx campus will showcase what AI really can do for SkyGrid and its partners. 

What is the vision for SkyGrid’s use of the HyperWerx facility? 

HyperWerx is a one-of-a-kind autonomy facility where SkyGrid and our partners can test complex systems, build, design, deploy, and showcase how AI, drones, sensors and other exponential technologies come together to solve important social problems and create large-scale economic opportunities.  

At HyperWerx, SkyGrid will bring next-generation autonomous aviation to life – end to end. This includes flying and testing drones, integrating them with AI algorithms, experiencing first-hand the limitations of commercial systems, the peculiarities of GPS receivers, image enhancement technology and the criticality of sensors and flight controllers. In a nutshell, exploring the art of the possible and expanding its boundaries.  

How is HyperWerx different from other testing facilities?  

The work at HyperWerx ranges from software to hardware, from fabrication to testing, and goes well beyond supporting just aerial robots. The capabilities available to us at HyperWerx are incredibly robust, and we will continue to add differentiated elements on the campus as time goes on.  

HyperWerx represents a unique ecosystem and community. In addition to SparkCognition and SGS, our key strategic partners, including Boeing and Raytheon, are also involved. Broadly, HyperWerx allows for collaboration with academia, commercial, and defense partners at the facility, who are able to work on challenging projects together. HyperWerx will be a hub for one-of-a-kind collaborations with leading minds across industry.  

What will HyperWerx allow you to do now that they have opened building one? 

HyperWerx will allow us to carry out physical integration with a variety of sensors, test guidance and swarm algorithms, monitor drone safety and performance, develop requirements for next generation versions of the SkyGrid platform, aerial-terrestrial integrated autonomous systems, and much more. 

Who are the HyperWerx partners? 

We are joined in our efforts by SparkCognition and SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS) and are already in discussions with leading enterprises and research institutions who will join us on what promises to be an amazing journey. The work we are doing with Boeing and Raytheon will also be featured significantly at HyperWerx. Together, we will work to imagine, prototype and build revolutionary new systems that accelerate our collective transition into a magnificent future, one which I hope will exceed our wildest imagination. 

Are all solutions developed at HyperWerx experimental, or are there products that are currently being sold to customers?  

Various systems ranging from experimental to production systems are being built and tested at HyperWerx. Some of these include autonomous control systems, hybrid UAVs, advanced computer vision systems, autonomous control systems and SkyGrid’s unmanned traffic management platform.  

Why did you choose this location?  

SkyGrid is headquartered in Austin, and the 50 acres of land on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, provides ample resources and space for testing. Austin is culturally rich, demographically diverse and has one of the finest research universities in the world. UT Austin’s computer science department, for example, ranks #6 and its prowess in the field of AI is arguably ranked even higher. HyperWerx will only continue to push the city forward as one of the world’s leading tech communities in Austin’s growing tech ecosystem.  

What are the future plans for HyperWerx? When will the development of the facilities and land be complete?  

Building One of HyperWerx is just the first of many phases we envision in the development of the HyperWerx campus. The campus will continue to see the addition of facilities and robust capabilities, including new structures, test ranges and support for industry specific scenarios. 

What excites you most about the HyperWerx facility? 

What excites me about HyperWerx is not just that it represents the growth of the company, but mostly that it will provide our clients, partners, and team with a laboratory within which to roll up our sleeves and build the future. Personally, I have no intention of merely watching this process unfold from the sidelines. I intend to be right beside our partners and our team – those brave architects of the future – neck deep in the heady business of building, testing, deploying and perfecting products that will tangibly fulfill the promise of the AI revolution.  

Pioneering Blockchain Investor, Rumi Morales, Appointed Adviser for SkyGrid

Former CME and Goldman executive played key role in developing crypto ecosystem with Ripple investment and CME Crypto Futures

AUSTIN, Texas, June 9, 2021 – SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company that brings artificial intelligence, blockchain, and a over a century of aviation experience to the drone space, announced today that Rumi Morales, Partner and Board Member at Outlier Ventures and former head of CME Ventures, has been added to its Advisory Board. In her role at SkyGrid, Morales will help cultivate the ecosystem relationships and technology strategy that will define SkyGrid’s next generation products.

Morales is a pioneer in blockchain technologies and digital currency, and a leading educator and investor in artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum computing companies. In her previous role at CME Ventures, the investment arm of the Chicago-based CME Group, Morales was responsible for early investments in blockchain startup Ripple, distributed ledger startup Digital Asset Holdings, and investment company Digital Currency Group. More broadly, Morales spearheaded investments in blockchain companies as well as in companies specializing in AI, IoT, and quantum computing.

“SkyGrid has experienced tremendous growth and industry interest in its platform. This is primarily because we have focused on building a highly-skilled team of innovators,” said Amir Husain, President and CEO of SkyGrid. “As a proven leader in blockchain technologies and the crypto ecosystem, Rumi will bring valuable knowledge to the SkyGrid team and play a key role as we continue to scale and build our next-gen platform for autonomy and aviation.”

Recently recognized in the Forbes 2021 Top 50 Blockchain list, SkyGrid leverages the functionality of blockchain and AI to provide secure and safe airspace management for drones. This blockchain-enabled air traffic control system allows for accurate, immutable flight records, maintenance and regulatory validation and transparency. Beyond the use of Blockchain in autonomous aviation, the company has already demonstrated many technology firsts, including a recent “world first” flight demonstration that showcased AI-powered cyber defense capabilities fully integrated on-board an autonomous, unmanned aerial vehicle.

“I’m extremely excited to join SkyGrid on its journey to define the future of large scale unmanned aviation. This is an important mission and one in which safety, auditability, and trust will factor heavily. Blockchain technology has a critical role in enabling all these characteristics, and I look forward in helping the SkyGrid team take their ground-breaking platform to the next level.

About SkyGrid 

SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, is powering the next generation of aviation. As the only airspace management system built on AI and blockchain, SkyGrid is solving the industry’s biggest challenges integrating unmanned aircraft in the global airspace and executing autonomous operations. SkyGrid’s AerialOS™ monitors, predicts, and adapts to changes in airspace traffic, environmental conditions, and vehicle health to intelligently route, synchronize, and manage unmanned aircraft. Based in Austin, Texas, SkyGrid is enabling a wide variety of commercial drone operations from package delivery to emergency assistance.

Contact Info

Carla Repsold

Marketing Manager

crepsold@skygrid.com

SkyGrid and Its Partners Open HyperWerx Autonomy Facility in Greater Austin Area

HyperWerx

Leading AI company announces the launch of a cutting-edge testing facility.

AUSTIN, Texas, May 26, 2021 – SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, and SparkCognition, the world’s leading infrastructure-focused artificial intelligence (AI) company, is pleased to announce the opening of a new complex, HyperWerx™, a first-of-its-kind autonomy facility to showcase the potential of AI integrated with physical systems. The HyperWerx facility will be used by SparkCognition and its partners to develop and test the exciting, new advancements in the world’s most promising technologies.

Building the Future of AI at HyperWerx

“When you work with technology as nebulous as software, it can be challenging to visualize exactly how AI and physical systems will work together. Beyond that, it is simply not possible to develop new physical applications without the experimentation, testing and safety validation process,” said Amir Husain, Founder and CEO of SparkCognition. “With that in mind, we conceived HyperWerx – a place where we can truly explore the interplay between AI software and the physical systems, which I believe will be a core driver in shaping the future of society.”

The HyperWerx facility sits on 50 acres in the greater Austin area, and will explore many facets of AI capabilities–ranging from the development of robotics platforms and unmanned aerial vehicles to the integration of terrestrial and aerial systems and extending to applications in commercial and defense industries. While plans to further develop the entire campus are already in motion, the immediate opening of Building One at HyperWerx will allow SparkCognition to begin deploying complex sensors, fleets of drones, radars, next generation versions of the SkyGrid platform, integrated aerial and terrestrial autonomous systems, and much more.

The HyperWerx facility currently includes participation from key partners SkyGrid and SparkCognition Government Systems and will continue to enhance its partner ecosystem as it adds new capabilities. SkyGrid, a joint venture between Boeing and SparkCognition, is the world’s first aviation operating system built on AI and blockchain, and SparkCognition Government Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of SparkCognition, is the world’s first full-spectrum AI company devoted entirely to government and national defense. Current and future partners of HyperWerx will also use the facility to explore new systems and deliver cutting-edge solutions to their customers and partners.

“As technology progresses exponentially, our physical world is increasingly intersecting with the digital world – and exploring the fusion of hardware and software has never been a greater imperative,” said Steve Nordlund, Vice President and General Manager of Phantom Works at The Boeing Company, and Chairman of the Board of Directors at SparkCognition. “With the launch of HyperWerx, SparkCognition is proving its ongoing commitment to bringing the potential of AI to life, solving real world challenges facing its customers and partners.”

This first facility represents hour zero for HyperWerx. The vision for the entire HyperWerx campus is to create an AI ecosystem that involves several partners focused on exploring the art of the possible with AI and other exponential technologies. In the future, SparkCognition will continue to develop the HyperWerx campus, adding more facilities and innovative courses to support the vision of SparkCognition and its HyperWerx partners.

About SkyGrid
SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, is powering the next generation of aviation. As the only airspace management system built on AI and blockchain, SkyGrid is solving the industry’s biggest challenges integrating unmanned aircraft in the global airspace and executing autonomous operations. SkyGrid’s AerialOS™ monitors, predicts, and adapts to changes in airspace traffic, environmental conditions, and vehicle health to intelligently route, synchronize, and manage unmanned aircraft. Based in Austin, Texas, SkyGrid is enabling a wide variety of commercial drone operations from package delivery to emergency assistance. For more information, visit skygrid.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

About SparkCognition
SparkCognition catalyzes sustainable growth for their clients throughout the world with proven artificial intelligence (AI) systems, award-winning machine learning technology, and a multinational team of AI thought-leaders. Clients are trusted with advancing lives, infrastructure, sustainability, and financial systems across the globe. They partner with SparkCognition to understand their industry’s most pressing challenges, analyze complex data, empower decision-making, and transform human and industrial productivity. With leading-edge artificial intelligence products—Darwin®️, DeepArmor ®️, SparkPredict ®️, and DeepNLPTM—SparkCognition’s clients can adapt to a rapidly changing digital landscape and accelerate their business strategies. To learn more about how SparkCognition’s AI applications can unlock the power in your data, visit. www.sparkcognition.com.

SkyGrid Contact Info 
Carla Repsold
Marketing Manager
crepsold@skygrid.com

SparkCognition Contact Info 
Michelle Saab
VP, Marketing Communications
msaab@sparkcognition.com

SkyGrid and SparkCognition Deploy First AI-Powered Cybersecurity System on Drones

drone cybersecurity

High-performance, edge deployed cybersecurity platform will provide zero-day protection against advanced attacks.

AUSTIN, Texas, January 19, 2021 – SparkCognition, the world’s leading industrial artificial intelligence (AI) company, and SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, today announced a new collaboration to deploy AI-powered cybersecurity directly on drones, protecting them from zero-day attacks during flight. Equipped with SparkCognition’s DeepArmor® cybersecurity product, SkyGrid is the first airspace management system to enable drone protection powered by AI. This approach provides more advanced airspace security than traditional anti-malware reliant on signatures of known threats.

“In the near future, we’ll essentially have a network of flying computers in the sky, and just like the computers we use today, drones can be hacked if not secured properly,” said Amir Husain, CEO and founder of SparkCognition and SkyGrid. “In this emerging environment, traditional anti-malware technology won’t be adequate to detect these never-before-seen attacks. SkyGrid is taking a new, intelligent approach by using AI to more accurately detect and prevent cyberattacks from impacting a drone, a payload, or a ground station.”

Integrated with SkyGrid’s airspace management system, AerialOS™, the DeepArmor product can be deployed directly on drone hardware to function even when network connectivity is impaired or non-existent. The AI protection defends drones from zero-day attacks by leveraging models trained on the DNA of malicious files instead of relying on a signature database.

SkyGrid and SparkCognition showcased the DeepArmor product’s drone protection in a recent demonstration: https://youtu.be/syX_NevNJX0

“We leveraged cutting-edge AI research and technology to build the DeepArmor product, which allows it to protect endpoints against 99.9% of never-before-seen threats,” said Sridhar Sudarsan, Chief Technology Officer at SparkCognition. “In addition, the product’s uniqueness lies in its ability to provide top-rate endpoint protection on the lowest footprint with minimal interference – all in varying degrees of connectivity. This is the true overarching security differentiator from which SkyGrid’s customers will see value.”

The DeepArmor product suite leverages SparkCognition’s patented machine learning technology combined with a defense in depth mantra to provide multiple layers of protection on an endpoint – instead of using known signatures, heuristics, or rules-based approaches. The software protects a wide range of endpoints, with its most recent addition to the product suite, DeepArmor Industrial, launched in collaboration with Siemens Energy and designed to protect operational technology assets across the energy value chain.

SparkCognition’s AI-first approach to cybersecurity and the DeepArmor product’s advanced threat detection models have been validated by multiple awards, including 2020 Cyber Defense Magazine’s award for best endpoint security and CRN’s 2020 Security 100 List.

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About SkyGrid
SkyGrid, a Boeing, SparkCognition company, is powering the next generation of aviation. As the only airspace management system built on AI and blockchain, SkyGrid is solving the industry’s biggest challenges integrating unmanned aircraft in the global airspace and executing autonomous operations. SkyGrid’s AerialOS™ monitors, predicts, and adapts to changes in airspace traffic, environmental conditions, and vehicle health to intelligently route, synchronize, and manage unmanned aircraft. Based in Austin, Texas, SkyGrid is enabling a wide variety of commercial drone operations from package delivery to emergency assistance. For more information, visit skygrid.com, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

About SparkCognition
SparkCognition catalyzes sustainable growth for their clients throughout the world with proven artificial intelligence (AI) systems, award-winning machine learning technology, and a multinational team of AI thought-leaders. Clients are trusted with advancing lives, infrastructure, sustainability, and financial systems across the globe. They partner with SparkCognition to understand their industry’s most pressing challenges, analyze complex data, empower decision-making, and transform human and industrial productivity. With leading-edge artificial intelligence products—Darwin®️, DeepArmor ®️, SparkPredict ®️, and DeepNLPTM—SparkCognition’s clients can adapt to a rapidly changing digital landscape and accelerate their business strategies. To learn more about how SparkCognition’s AI applications can unlock the power in your data, visit www.sparkcognition.com.

For Media Enquiries 

Carla Repsold

Marketing Manager

crepsold@skygrid.com

(512) 568 4886