US air medical transport company Air Methods has partnered with SkyRyse to retrofit its more than 400 single engine helicopters and fixed wing aircraft with FlightOS.

The new SkyRyse FlightOS hardware and software stack replaces manual flight control systems, allowing pilots to control helicopters and fixed wing aircraft with a far simpler and safer control interface. Air Methods has also invested $5 million into SkyRyse Series B, bringing the total funding raised for the company to $205 million and further backing SkyRyse's automation hardware and software.

FlightOS technology provides increased operational safety in clear or inclement weather using advanced sensors currently only used in commercial aviation and advanced military aircraft, meaning more missions are completed and more lives are saved. The flight system is operational through every phase of flight and during any situational hazard and is designed to never go offline, including during emergencies. Air Methods will use the SkyRyse technology to elevate its air crews' ability to safely perform their core function of providing immediate, critical care where it is needed most.

"As the leading air medical provider in the United States, we are always looking for ways to make rotor and fixed wing flight safer," says CEO JaeLynn Williams. "SkyRyse is a cutting-edge technology that will drive a step change in the safety of rotor and fixed wing flight not only for Air Methods, but for our customers and the entire HEMS industry."

FlightOS is designed to protect a pilot from exiting the flight envelope and can safely manage the aircraft through various flight emergencies, including complete engine failures and autorotation. Air Methods will retrofit FlightOS within its diverse and complex fleet of single engine helicopters, such as the EC130, AS350 and Bell 407, and fixed wing aircraft such as the Pilatus PC-12. Air Methods intends the immediate benefits of FlightOS to reduce operational complexity by making the flight deck more intuitive and standardised.

"The SkyRyse Flight Operating System is a transformational technology for the industry and we are honoured to be partnering with SkyRyse," adds executive vice president of operations Leo Morrissette. "The results of deploying this technology will first and foremost improve safety, lower cockpit workload and allow our fleet to fully maximise the potential of patient care in a wide range of aircraft models and types."

"We are excited to partner with Air Methods to bring our innovative technology to its aircraft and patients who benefit from their remarkable services," says SkyRyse CEO Dr Mark Groden. "We created FlightOS to enhance safety, especially in critical life-saving missions where technology unlocks dramatic potential for all people to receive the safest, most effective medical care available in the direst situations. The Air Methods partnership highlights the value of our technologies interoperability and safety across all types of aircraft."