Skyfish

About Skyfish

Skyfish provides a vertically integrated, end-to-end drone platform focused on creating engineering-grade 3D models of critical infrastructure. The company designs and manufactures its own hardware, including autonomous drones, onboard computers, remote controllers, and battery systems, as well as its own software for flight planning, navigation, and data analytics. This comprehensive control over their technology stack enables Skyfish to deliver highly accurate and reliable data for its clients.

The company was founded in 2014 by CEO Dr. Orest Pilskalns, a computer scientist and pioneer in mapping technology, and Chairman John Livingston, a veteran software CEO. Pilskalns' background includes developing image recognition software for Lockheed Martin and a PhD in computer science, which led to founding a web-based map collaboration platform that became the foundation for Skyfish's navigation software. After operating in research and development for several years, Skyfish officially launched its platform in January 2021. A significant milestone was securing over $20 million in a Series Seed funding round in June 2021 to expand manufacturing and grow its team.

Skyfish's business model revolves around providing a full-stack solution for industries that require precise inspection and measurement of their physical assets. The company serves sectors such as telecommunications for cell tower analysis, energy for power line and wind turbine inspection, transportation for monitoring bridges and dams, and government and defense for surveillance and reconnaissance. Revenue is generated through the sale of its drone systems and data services, which transform high-resolution images into detailed and measurable 3D "digital twins". These models are accurate to within 1/32 of an inch, allowing engineers to perform detailed analysis and make critical decisions remotely.

The product line includes several drone models, such as the lightweight Osprey for photogrammetry and the robust M6 for heavier payloads. A key feature is the platform's ability to support a variety of high-end third-party sensors, including Sony's 61-megapixel cameras for photogrammetry, LiDAR units, and thermal and methane detection sensors. The onboard Skymind™ computer, powered by Nvidia's Jetson Orin, enables autonomous flight and real-time AI processing. Data collected in the field is processed through the Skyportal web platform, which creates the final 3D models for visualization and analysis.