Assisted-Flying Service Takes Flight in January 2019 to Provide Emergency Services in Tracy, California

HAYWARD, Calif., Aug. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, SkyRyse announced its launch as the first technology-enabled air mobility company to operate in the U.S. Built by aerospace experts from Lockheed Martin, Boeing, SpaceX, Tesla, Uber, and the U.S. military, SkyRyse is on a mission to deliver fast, safe and affordable air transportation that is unbound by today's transportation infrastructure. The company also announced it has raised $25 million in seed and Series A funding led by Venrock, with participation from Eclipse, Stanford University, Industry Ventures, Trucks VC, Cantos, and Engage Ventures.

SkyRyse has built a first-of-its-kind advanced pilot assistance system (APAS) that combines Artificial Intelligence, a flight perception suite, and decision-making algorithms. SkyRyse's APAS is designed to lessen the pilot's workload and reduce human error, a leading cause of accidents in all modes of transportation, and to work with any FAA-approved vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. In January 2019, SkyRyse plans to begin operations in Tracy, California, where it will provide support to the city's emergency response units, including law enforcement, search and rescue missions, and firefighters.

"Every year, billions of hours are wasted in traffic and spent following inefficient travel corridors, taxing our well-being and economic productivity," said Mark Groden, CEO and co-founder of SkyRyse. "We are building an air transportation service that is not limited by today's infrastructure. Because the stakes are highest in emergency response situations when minutes can mean the difference between life and death, we're launching SkyRyse Emergency Response to support governments and municipalities first, with plans to change how we get around our cities in the future."

SkyRyse's Air Emergency Response service is available to state and local governments to connect first-responders, law enforcement and firefighters with emergency scenes in minutes, regardless of location. The SkyRyse service will include FAA-approved VTOL aircraft equipped with its APAS, a mobile application and a network of highly trained pilots to safely transport emergency responders four-times faster than ground response systems and at a fraction of the price.

"The City of Tracy is always seeking out new, innovative technologies that can bolster the safety and wellness of our community," said Tracy Police Lieutenant Terry Miller. "SkyRyse's focus on safety, their world-class team and exceptional technology attracted us to the partnership. SkyRyse's Air Emergency Response service will help us respond to emergencies faster and more affordably."

Founded in 2016, SkyRyse was started by Mitch Adler and Mark Groden, who at 15 built the world's first micro fixed-wing aircraft capable of vertical take-off UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) at a U.S. Air Force research lab that was used by the U.S. military in missions.

"While there's a lot of hype and speculation around the promise of self-driving cars, the future of transportation is in the sky," said Ethan Batraski of Venrock. "SkyRyse's team, assisted-flying technology, practical focus and go-to-market strategy put them in an incredible position to help solve our transportation issues."

About SkyRyse
SkyRyse is an air mobility company on a mission to quickly, safely and affordably connect everyone with the people and places that matter most. Created by aerospace experts from Airbus, Boeing, Ford, SpaceX, Tesla and the U.S. military, SkyRyse is trusted by emergency responders in California to save lives, and the first technology-enabled air mobility service to operate in the U.S. Headquartered in Hayward, Calif., SkyRyse is funded by Venrock, Eclipse, Stanford, Industry Ventures, Trucks VC, Cantos, and Engage Ventures. For more information visit http://skyryse.com.