EP 56 — SkyRunner’s Stewart Hamel on How Their Unmanned, Multi-Domain Aircraft Enhances Strategic Capabilities for Special Ops

Stewart Hamel, CEO, took an eccentric side project for his ranch and transformed it into SkyRunner, a revolutionary air utility transport vehicle that's changing the future of defense sector mobility. In this episode of DIB Innovators, Stewart tells Dave how a viral CNN Money video caught military attention, leading to design input from special operations teams that transformed his vehicle into a tactical platform with dual-engine redundancy, field-serviceable components, and the ability to operate even after taking direct fire. 

With a deployment speed of seven minutes versus a Blackhawk's 30 minutes and a price point 1% of traditional aerial systems, SkyRunner can run missions like deliver medical supplies faster than helicopters in 10-mile scenarios while providing ground and air domain flexibility that traditional aircraft can't match. Now with 130+ vehicles in production for four countries and growing interest in unmanned capabilities for GPS-denied environments, Stewart shares his insights on navigating defense partnerships and preparing for acquisition in order to be of even greater impact.

Topics discussed:

• How a recreational flying vehicle project intended for family use evolved into a tactical solution after a CNN interview resulted in calls from SEAL Team 6 looking to solve specific operational mobility challenges.
• SkyRunner's space shuttle-inspired redundancy engineering ensures continued operation even after catastrophic damage — including maintaining mobility with a damaged engine block, lost coolant, or compromised axles.
• SkyRunner's intuitive control system allows operators to become certified pilots in just two weeks versus 8-9 months for traditional aircraft, reducing the training barrier for tactical aviation.
• All critical components use cannon plug connections and interchangeable parts, enabling quick repairs without specialized training and addressing a critical need for forward deployment scenarios.
• The dual-engine system enables 70 mph ground speed with wheels and 85+ mph using just the propeller system if ground components are compromised, providing multiple mobility options in contested areas.
• SkyRunner's adaptation to autonomous operation specifically designed to function in GPS-denied and jammed environments, addressing vulnerabilities exposed in Ukraine and other contested domains.
• How demonstrating at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show rather than traditional defense expos provided market validation and an alternative path to military adoption.
• Building relationships with major defense contractors like Collins Aerospace, Raytheon, and AeroVironment to integrate existing military systems rather than competing, creating win-win scenarios.

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Guest Quote: 

“I think having a badass team and these generals that can lead you, and I think partnering, finding great partners like a Collins or a Raytheon or Blue Halo, or people that you can integrate their systems, AeroVironment — your win becomes their win, became sort of another like, ‘Hey, I'm not a threat. My win can be your win. I'd like to integrate your system on here.’ So that was another kind of safety net of making sure people didn't see us as a threat because some really did early when they found out we had defense contracts.”