SkyGrid is improving its aerial operating system for autonomously operated aircraft by adding multiple new layers of data, including hyper-local weather information. Initially, the Boeing-backed company’s technology is intended for use by existing commercial drone operators but could later support passenger-carrying eVTOL aircraft.

The addition of hyper-local weather data has come from SkyGrid’s new partner ClimaCell, which is providing real-time information on conditions such as precipitation, wind, air quality and lightning. Data layers in the operating system also include global weather updates and forecasts on factors including temperature, wind speed, visibility, cloud cover, pressure and precipitation type.

SkyGrid uses artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology to help unmanned aircraft operators reduce risk by providing information about airspace conditions. This also includes the volume and type of aircraft operating, the classes of airspace being used, flight restrictions (through Notam alerts), obstacle data, road traffic and surrounding population density.

“Safety and security are our top priorities as millions of autonomous vehicles begin to take flight in the global airspace,” said SkyGrid CEO and founder Amir Husain. “That’s why we’re fueling our system with advanced data sources and using AI-driven predictive analytics to take the guesswork out of planning the safest routes.”

Now SkyGrid has plans to add more data feeds to its system, including individual drone performance data. The company says that the system will present operators with the safest routes to use based on factors such as environmental conditions and a vehicle’s health.

“Our mission is to imagine what the [autonomous aircraft] landscape will look like in 10 to 15 years from now and build something that can scale and support this,” Husain told FutureFlight. “We can only do this by augmenting current capabilities through applying artificial technologies and making air traffic control more productive.”

The SkyGrid system is primarily intended as a flight planning tool to help operators create and support unmanned aircraft missions, providing them with all suitable options in any given circumstances. All data is stored in a distributed blockchain ledger, which Husain said gives users confidence that it cannot have been tampered with.

In the future, the system could be used to manage entire fleets of unmanned aircraft, logging each one’s current status in terms of charging and maintenance needs. SkyGrid is now looking to arrange a real-world test for the technology in partnership with a drone operator.

Looking ahead to eVTOL air taxi service, Husain said the industry needs to set some standards for the software it will need to support operations. SkyGrid intends to step up its engagement in this process during 2020.

The Austin, Texas-based company was formed in February 2019 as a joint venture between Boeing and AI specialist Spark Cognition. The latter has expertise in machine learning technology and natural language processing that it says lower the barrier for entry to using large, complex datasets.

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