SkyWard, a provider of Drones as a Service software solutions, has raised $1.5 million in seed-round financing to build what it says is the first operations management platform for commercial robotic aircraft.
Voyager Capital led the round, with participation from Draper Associates and Toivo Annus, founder and former head of engineering at Skype.
Because aviation management has historically been highly fragmented, paper-based and slow, SkyWard explains, the company is digitizing the environment to connect commercial operators, regulators and insurers on a global platform that operates at the speed of the market.
The system allows businesses to focus on flying rather than the time-consuming tasks of regulatory compliance, risk management and manual record keeping, the company says. The software offers custom tools, including a cloud-based workflow to stay in compliance, a geographic information systems overlay map with up-to-date airspace rules and guidelines, automated flight logs, and a unique and secure digital identity that can be used with regulators and insurers around the world.
‘SkyWard is in a position to influence the direction of the unmanned aerial market and deliver the solution required to make commercial drones a safe and viable business model,’ says Diane Fraiman of Voyager Capital.
