Proxy Technologies

About Proxy Technologies

Proxy Technologies, Inc., which ceased operations in 2017, was a software and systems integrator specializing in autonomous flight technologies for the aerospace and defense sectors. Founded in 2005 as Proxy Aviation Systems, the company was headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with additional facilities in Maryland. In 2008, Patrick D. Moneymaker, a retired Rear Admiral with an extensive career in the U.S. Navy, including commanding the Blue Angels, was appointed President and CEO. Don Ryan also served as CEO during the company's active years. The company rebranded in 2012 to Proxy Technologies to reflect a broader focus beyond just unmanned aircraft.

The core of Proxy's business was the development and supply of autonomous technology adaptable for a range of unmanned aerial, surface, and maritime vehicles. Its primary market consisted of U.S. government entities, particularly the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. The business model centered on providing advanced autonomous capabilities not available elsewhere, focusing on cooperative flight systems that enabled a single operator to manage multiple vehicles simultaneously.

Proxy's flagship product was the SkyForce™ Distributed Management System (DMS), a mission-management software designed to control fleets of unmanned vehicles. This system allowed up to 12 autonomous aircraft to perform concurrent, cooperative flight missions, making independent, real-time decisions to achieve group tactical goals without direct human intervention for each vehicle. This technology was demonstrated through contracts with the U.S. Air Force, using the company's own SkyWatcher and SkyRaider UAVs. These tests showcased complex scenarios like formation flying, target-searching, and dynamic mission re-tasking, proving the system's ability to reduce the personnel required for ground support and enhance mission effectiveness.