SkyRunner is stylishly capable, FAA Certified Light Sport aircraft built without compromise with its aggressive, angular exterior and exposed tubular exoskeleton. The body construction of SkyRunner uses carbon fiber body panels and seamless air-hardened heat-treated steel tubing to achieve immense strength allied to lower weight penalties. The open architecture in its built delivers a stripped-back piloting experience that leaps into the cockpit for an exhilarating ride expressively combining sporty handling with a balance that is surefooted and stable. SkyRunner’s inverted double wishbone suspension is the perfect landing gear and chassis control and is specially built for those who want to take life head-on and make every day behind the wheel a thrilling experience and a new adventure. Regulated, manufactured, and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration as a special light-sport aircraft, SkyRunner does not advertise as a road-legal vehicle.
Stewart Hamel, CEO of SkyRunner originally built this aircraft to fuel epic adventures with his kids and as the ultimate tool to get around his ranch. Along the way, visionary professionals started seeing new, incredible ways to use SkyRunner. One of these pioneers was Colonel Michael Jensen, now SkyRunner’s Chief Strategy Officer. A longtime advocate for integrating light aviation into Special Operations, Jensen named SkyRunner in his 2012 Naval Postgraduate School Thesis as exactly the type of vehicle that SOCOM needed. He recognized that vehicles like SkyRunner, “represent an opportunity to distribute risk across a special operations team to dramatically reduce the risk to mission.” Stewart Hamel read his paper and realized that SkyRunner was so much more than an ultimate adventure machine—our public servants and soldiers could use SkyRunner to save lives and made incredible progress expanding into government and defense space to get SkyRunner into the hands of the operators where it can do the most good.
As Small UAS technology develops, SkyRunner’s team has observed incredible payload miniaturization that packs amazing tech into tiny, airworthy, modular packages. By integrating these payloads using a modular approach, SkyRunner can employ as a safe, certified, stable platform to deliver extraordinary capability at a surprisingly low price point. The team has tested, or is in the process of integrating, payloads like gimbal-stabilized Electro-Optical cameras, Midwave cooled sensor Infra-Red cameras, wide-area surveillance, high bandwidth mesh networking, LIDAR scanning, AI-enabled visual detection, and more; they continuously leverage technology trends to add capabilities. SkyRunner delivers ultimate mobility. Its customers can quickly adapt the MK3.2 for their unique mission, or just for fun. The MK3.2 delivers exceptional value and huge safety margins with extremely low operating costs compared to nearly any aircraft. One vehicle, more freedom.
SkyRunner delivers ultimate mobility across a wide range of missions. SkyRunner provides a safe, stable, certified platform that is quickly adaptable for border security, aerial reconnaissance, Infiltration, and Exfiltration of personnel, Search and Rescue, Medical Evacuation, Land Management, and more. Several Federal organizations are currently conducting User Evaluations and test programs to validate specific use cases for the SkyRunner platform. They have received interest from federal and private organizations on several continents that conduct counter-trafficking and counter-poaching operations for using SkyRunner as a tool to quickly move agents into place to interdict illicit activities. With additional technology onboard, SkyRunner also provides aerial surveillance and can also expand the communications network by serving as an airborne communications node in a mesh network.
SKYRUNNER DELIVERS ULTIMATE MOBILITY ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF MISSIONS.
The team builds partnerships with world-class innovators and integrates exceptional technology into the SkyRunner Platform. Its partnership with Collins Aerospace for gimballed Electro-Optical and Infrared camera technology grew into an opportunity to work with Sylvus Technologies for high-bandwidth data links. SkyRunner conducted live flight aerial testing for GoTenna mesh networks and is working with Tough Stump Technologies to develop augmented reality flight software to simplify the flying experience. The team is also relentlessly improving the MK3.2 platform by developing powerful new engine options with Edge Performance and recently selected INVISIO’s Artificial Intelligence-powered intercom system as standard equipment to dramatically improve the flight experience and integrate seamlessly with any commercial or military radio systems. And, they have many more exciting projects underway that the team is not ready to share yet, but we can stay tuned for some incredible advancements coming right around the corner!
The SkyRunner MK3.2 is the only aircraft of its type. No other aircraft in the world can match the versatility, capability, or redundancy of SkyRunner. With two separate engines and drive systems, the MK3.2 delivers exceptional redundancy. The team has taken care to select military-grade components for every part of the aircraft. For example, the wiring harness is made by the same company that produces the wiring harness for the F-35 fighter jet. SkyRunner’s commitment to quality is absolute. People encountering SkyRunner for the first time invariably comment about the exceptional quality of the components and the fit and finish of the aircraft. That is no accident. The team obsessively selects every piece and relentlessly improves wherever technology advances or new concepts emerge. Everything is designed to be modular and reverse compatible. The factory demonstration model is one of the oldest chassis flyings, and is also the testbed for all of the cutting edge improvements—the oldest aircraft is the most advanced. Customers are kept informed about SkyRunner’s latest advances; many of them upgrade their aircraft as new technology becomes available.
According to Chief Strategy Officer Michael Jensen, SkyRunner recently launched an aggressive global growth strategy to meet the need for airborne surveillance and mobility in countries where expensive rotary-wing aircraft are not a good fit. Helicopters are very expensive to purchase but are even pricier to operate and maintain. These complex aircraft often require expensive contracted technicians over the lifetime of the aircraft that often drive operating costs into the tens of thousands of dollars per flight hour. Conversely, SkyRunner’s low acquisition costs are buttressed by nominal operating costs of well under a $100 dollars per flight hour. Its training programs can certify local mechanics to repair the aircraft on-site, eliminating the need for complete reliance on expensive long-term maintenance contracts. Finally, SkyRunner’s simple, predictable flight characteristics allow for safe flight with minimal training. The MK3.2 does NOT require dedicated, professional pilots. It can be safely flown with minimal training and reasonable currency. The SkyRunner MK3.2 provides an impressive array of capabilities and an extremely low lifetime cost.
The team of SkyRunner is grateful that industry experts continue to recognize their hard work and validate the results. Each award drives them forward to improve every part of the SkyRunner MK3.2 aircraft and to perfect and grow their team. This team is always advancing!
