Unmanned Experts
Unmanned Experts (UMEX) builds the BlueSkies Advanced Air Mobility infrastructure platform (PSU software, encrypted V2V2I mesh network, AirCommons interface, digital twin, conflict management) for autonomous drones and eVTOLs, serving U.S. federal agencies, defense, oil & gas, logistics, and public-safety operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersPikeville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Unmanned Experts does
Unmanned Experts (UMEX) is a privately held Colorado corporation, founded in 2010 and operating primarily out of Pikeville, that builds the BlueSkies Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure platform to coordinate autonomous aircraft in uncontrolled airspace. BlueSkies integrates a NASA-validated Provider of Services to UAM (PSU) software backbone with a self-healing, encrypted Vehicle-to-Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2V2I) software-defined radio mesh, an AirCommons integrated traffic-management and air-domain-awareness interface, digital twin and Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) simulation modules, vertiport management, and pre-flight/in-flight operational conflict management. The system is positioned as the first flight-test proven AAM infrastructure in the United States, demonstrated via the 2022 North Texas Cohort live flight test at Alliance Texas and now operating live at the Houma-Terrebonne (KHUM) Blue Skies OAM Operations Center serving multiple Gulf-Coast eVTOL operators.
UMEX earns revenue primarily through federal grants (over $8M cumulative from NASA, USDA, USDOJ, FAA, and the U.S. military) and through enterprise engagements with government agencies (DHS, DoD, emergency response) and private operators in oil and gas, logistics, agriculture, and defense. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales complemented by strategic partnerships with NASA, FAA, USAF/AFWERX, TXDoT, the University of North Texas, AAMTEX, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. A $160,000 SEC 506(b) exempt securities offering (April 2024) reflects an early private-capital channel alongside grant funding; pricing is not publicly disclosed.
The company employs between 11 and 50 people and is led by a team with deep military and aerospace credentials: CEO Keven Gambold (former RAF Squadron Leader and USAF MQ-1B Predator pilot), CFO Jim Fee (former U.S. Naval Aviator, prior CFO at Sprint and Dairy Farmers of America), CBDO Martin Salinas (retired USAF Colonel and former AFWERX COO), CTO and co-founder Ed Freeborn (former DOJ NIJ advisor), EVP of Engineering Ken Erney, and COO Bill Cossoff. Advisory input comes from UNT's Dr. Kamesh Namuduri (IEEE Chair) and AAMTEX CEO Eric Adams.
Unmanned Experts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Unmanned Experts
- Legal name
- Unmanned Experts Inc.
- Website
- https://unmannedexperts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Unmanned Experts (UMEX) builds the BlueSkies Advanced Air Mobility infrastructure platform (PSU software, encrypted V2V2I mesh network, AirCommons interface, digital twin, conflict management) for autonomous drones and eVTOLs, serving U.S. federal agencies, defense, oil & gas, logistics, and public-safety operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Unmanned Experts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Air Traffic Management Software
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Air Traffic Control (488111)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- UAS Communications, Datalinks, SATCOM & Remote Control Systems (IMABAIAJ), Autonomous Flight Control & Guidance Systems (UAS/Urban Air Mobility) (IMABAFAO), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL)
Keywords
Where Unmanned Experts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pikeville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Unmanned Experts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Contracts and Grants: UMEX has secured over $8M in grants from NASA, USDA, USDOJ, FAA, and the U.S. military. These grants fund AAM infrastructure development and public safety applications.
- AAM Infrastructure Solutions: BlueSkies system provides end-to-end AAM solutions including air corridor planning, simulation, and implementation. Revenue derived from infrastructure deployment, software licensing, and ongoing operational support.
- Air Commons Products: Customizable and deployable traffic management solutions sold to government agencies and enterprise customers requiring air domain awareness and traffic coordination capabilities.
- Securities Offering: The company conducted a $160,000 exempt securities offering under Rule 506(b), with $110,000 already sold to investors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Unmanned Experts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Unmanned Experts (UMEX) develops and sells the BlueSkies platform, an end-to-end Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) software and infrastructure solution for managing autonomous and eVTOL aircraft in uncontrolled airspace. The system combines a mesh network of encrypted software-defined radios, a NASA-validated Provider of Services to UAM (PSU) software backbone, the AirCommons integrated traffic management interface, V2V2I communications, and digital twin simulation to enable safe, coordinated drone and eVTOL operations for government and enterprise customers.
Product overview
Unmanned Experts offers a unified platform-plus-modules architecture centered on BlueSkies, its flagship Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) software solution. BlueSkies is the core platform providing end-to-end AAM planning, simulation, and operational deployment capabilities. It is complemented by the AirCommons interface/sub-system for integrated traffic management and air domain awareness; the PSU (Provider of Services to UAM) software backbone for flight management, scheduling, conflict management, and essential services; the V2V2I encrypted software-defined radio mesh network for vehicle-to-infrastructure communications; Digital Twin and LVC Simulation modules for operational planning and visualization; Vertiport Management System for vertiport/vertihub operations; and Operational/Tactical Conflict Management modules for in-flight deconfliction. Together these components form the BlueSkies Operational Air Mobility system — the world's only flight-test proven AAM infrastructure enabling piloted, remotely-piloted, and fully autonomous eVTOL operations across uncontrolled airspace.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BlueSkies: End-to-end Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) solution covering planning, simulation, fielding, and implementation of AAM systems, including air corridor management and V2V2I mesh network communications.
- AirCommons
Products and services
- BlueSkies End-to-end Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) software platform for planning, simulating, fielding, and implementing autonomous air traffic infrastructure. Provides Air Corridor management, integrated traffic management via mesh network, cybersecurity framework, LVC simulation, and digital twin technology for eVTOL and drone operations. Used by government agencies and enterprises to operationalize autonomous aircraft in uncontrolled airspace.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10:1 efficiency ratio for BlueSkies System
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Unmanned Experts
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Unmanned Experts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability9 records
Feature8 records
Unmanned Experts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- NASAcoreNASA is a strategic partner in AAM infrastructure development. UMEX leads the AAM hardware/software infrastructure development efforts for NASA's AAM programs. The company's PSU (Provider of Services to UAM) capability is NASA-validated, and UMEX is part of the North Texas Cohort developing flight-test proven AAM infrastructure.
- FAAcoreThe FAA is collaborating with UMEX on Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) systems enabling BVLOS drone operations. The partnership supports regulatory framework development for AAM integration into national airspace.
- US Air Force (AFWERX/Agility Prime)coreUMEX leads AAM hardware/software infrastructure development for the USAF's Agility Prime program. The company is developing military applications including hub-and-spoke systems for MOB/FOB resupply and rapid deployment kits for contingency operations.
- Texas Department of Transportation (TXDoT)majorTXDoT partners with UMEX on AAM infrastructure development in Texas, supporting vertiport development and air corridor planning for the state.
- University of North Texas (UNT)majorDr. Kamesh Namuduri, Professor of Electrical Engineering at UNT and IEEE Chair, serves on UMEX's Board of Advisors. UNT provides research expertise in V2V testbeds, RF power systems, and tactical deconfliction for advanced air mobility.
- AAMTEXmajorAAMTEX (Eric Adams, CEO) is a key technology partner providing airspace structure editing (ASE) and flight management system integration. Their Airspace Structure Editor enables vertiport and air corridor planning that integrates with BlueSkies PSU.
- University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)minorUAF partners with UMEX on AAM research and development, particularly for cold weather and remote operations applications.
- Amazon Prime AirminorAmazon Prime Air is identified as a future commercial market for BlueSkies technology in package delivery BVLOS operations.
- Precision HawkminorPrecision Hawk is identified as a future commercial market for BlueSkies technology in agricultural crop health monitoring applications.
- Aerospace Industries AssociationminorThe Aerospace Industries Association collaborates on AAM market projections and estimates the US AAM market at approximately $115 billion by 2035.
- North Texas CohortcoreUMEX leads a nationwide partnership of companies and government agencies (the North Texas Cohort) that showcased AAM capabilities in successful live flight tests at Alliance Texas Flight Test Center.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Unmanned Experts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thales: Thales is a global air-traffic-management prime with active U-space and UTM offerings targeting civil and defense buyers. Same core market as UMEX but at substantially greater scale and with an installed ATC customer base.
- Frequentis: Frequentis is a long-established supplier of air-traffic-management and UTM solutions to civil and defense authorities worldwide. Competes with UMEX at the larger, established end of the PSU/UTM market, with broader portfolio scope.
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris provides FAA and DoD air-traffic-management and surveillance solutions and is exploring UAS/UTM products. Overlaps with UMEX in defense-adjacent airspace services for DoD and civil customers.
Direct peers
- OneSky (formerly Skyward, a Verizon company): OneSky provides airspace management, UTM and traffic-management-as-a-service for commercial drone and BVLOS operators. Comparable to UMEX in serving enterprise drone operators with traffic management and authorization tooling.
- AirMap (now part of DroneDeploy): AirMap historically operated one of the most widely adopted UTM/airspace-authorization platforms for drones and was an early PSU-style provider. Closely comparable in mission and product shape, even as its corporate form has changed.
- ANRA Technologies: ANRA Technologies delivers U-space/UTM platforms covering flight planning, deconfliction and strategic coordination for cooperative and autonomous aircraft. Highly comparable to UMEX's PSU backbone and conflict management modules within BlueSkies.
- Altitude Angel: Altitude Angel builds UTM/U-space airspace management platforms for drones and AAM, including a Provider of Services function similar to UMEX's BlueSkies PSU. Operates GuardianUTM and is among the most functionally aligned direct competitors to UMEX's offering.
Emerging players
- Skydio: Skydio is a leading autonomous drone manufacturer and increasingly bundles airspace coordination features for enterprise/public-safety operators. Adjacent ecosystem participant that may integrate with — rather than compete head-on with — a UTM provider.
- Iris Automation: Iris Automation focuses on detect-and-avoid (DAA) and airspace safety for BVLOS drone operations. Partial overlap with UMEX's Air Domain Awareness and conflict management sub-systems, though narrower in scope.
Others
- EHang: EHang is an autonomous eVTOL aircraft OEM. Indirect peer — depends on UTM/PSU infrastructure (like UMEX's) to operate, making it more of an enablee/customer relationship than a competing platform.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Unmanned Experts social profiles
Digital presenceUnmanned Experts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Unmanned Experts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Unmanned Experts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Unmanned Experts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Unmanned Experts
What does Unmanned Experts do?
Unmanned Experts (UMEX) develops and sells the BlueSkies platform, an end-to-end Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) software and infrastructure solution for managing autonomous and eVTOL aircraft in uncontrolled airspace. The system combines a mesh network of encrypted software-defined radios, a NASA-validated Provider of Services to UAM (PSU) software backbone, the AirCommons integrated traffic management interface, V2V2I communications, and digital twin simulation to enable safe, coordinated drone and eVTOL operations for government and enterprise customers.
Is Unmanned Experts a public or private company?
Unmanned Experts is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Unmanned Experts founded?
Unmanned Experts was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Unmanned Experts based?
Unmanned Experts is headquartered in Pikeville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Unmanned Experts make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Contracts and Grants are the primary driver. The others are AAM Infrastructure Solutions, air Commons Products and securities Offering.
Who are Unmanned Experts's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Thales, Frequentis and L3Harris Technologies. Direct peers are OneSky (formerly Skyward, a Verizon company), AirMap (now part of DroneDeploy), ANRA Technologies and Altitude Angel. Emerging players are Skydio and Iris Automation. EHang is listed as an others.
Does Unmanned Experts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Unmanned Experts.
What industry is Unmanned Experts in?
Unmanned Experts's product category is Air Traffic Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAH, Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV), with a secondary code of IMABAIAJ, UAS Communications, Datalinks, SATCOM & Remote Control Systems. Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.