The U.S. military doesn’t have enough pilots—and automation may be the only way to scale airpower. At the same time, Skyryse is formally launching its new defense unit, bringing its software-defined flight system, SkyOS, into military applications.

On this week’s episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Mark Groden, CEO of Skyryse, to unpack how the company is building a universal operating system for aircraft that can dramatically simplify flight, reduce pilot burden, and enable fully autonomous operations when needed.

The goal is ambitious: turn helicopters and airplanes into flexible, optionally piloted systems that can shift between crewed and uncrewed missions—unlocking a new model for force projection, logistics, and survivability.

The conversation spans the tragic accident that inspired Mark to start Skyryse, why aviation’s biggest safety problem is really a technology problem, how SkyOS works across platforms from Robinson helicopters to Black Hawks, and why defense demand for autonomy is accelerating faster than most people realize.

We cover:

How SkyOS transforms aircraft into software-defined systems
Why helicopters are so difficult and dangerous to fly today
What Skyryse Defense is building for crewed, uncrewed, and autonomous missions
How optionally piloted aircraft could reshape military logistics and ISR
How Skyryse’s Series C positions the company for scale
Why the future battlefield requires simpler, more adaptable systems

…and much more.

• Chapters •

00:00 – Intro
01:34 – The accident that changed Mark's life and mission
04:10 – A PhD in sensor data fusion
06:54 – The evolution of Skyryse
10:09 – Product stack
15:30 – New business unit
17:12 – Skyryse's partnership with the Army
19:39 – Why even build for humans?
21:35 – The software distribution of SkyOS
26:40 – Guinness World Record for autorotation
30:58 – Training commercial helicopter pilots with Skyryse
33:52 – Commercial picture for Skyryse
37:43 – Addressing the pilot shortage in the military
42:22 – Commercial regulations
45:39 – What certification unlocks for Skyryse
47:19 – Military regulatory process
48:53 – What Skyryse plans to do with their Series C funding
51:27 – How people's lives change if Skyryse is everywhere in 20 years
53:30 – Can you buy the Skyryse helicopter?
54:05 – What Mark does for fun when he's not building helicopters

• Show notes •

Skyryse’s website — https://skyryse.com/
Skyryse’s’ socials — https://x.com/skyryse
Mo's socials — https://x.com/itsmoislam
Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace
Ignition’s socials — https://twitter.com/ignitionnuclear /
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ignition-nuclear/
Tectonic’s socials — https://twitter.com/tectonicdefense / https://www.linkedin.com/company/tectonicdefense/
Valley of Depth archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/

• About us •

Valley of Depth is a podcast about the technologies that matter — and the people building them. Brought to you by Arkaea Media, the team behind Payload (space), Ignition (nuclear energy), and Tectonic (defense tech), this show goes beyond headlines and hype. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. From breakthrough science to strategic policy, we dive into the high-stakes decisions behind the world’s hardest technologies.

Payload: www.payloadspace.com
Tectonic: www.tectonicdefense.com
Ignition: www.ignition-news.com

The Flight Automation Era, with Mark Groden (CEO of Skyryse)

Valley of Depth