SkyWatch
SkyWatch is a digital InsurTech broker providing commercial drone and light aircraft insurance via a self-service platform across the U.S. and Canada, serving individual pilots, drone operators, flight schools, and enterprise fleet customers underwritten by Starr Companies and Global Aerospace.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersPalo Alto, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What SkyWatch does
SkyWatch is a privately held InsurTech company that operates a digital-first insurance distribution platform for commercial drones and light aircraft, serving individual pilots, certified flight instructors, commercial drone operators, and enterprise fleet customers across the United States and Canada. The company is incorporated in Israel (Skywatch Ltd., Tel Aviv) with operating subsidiaries in California and British Columbia, and is led by co-founders Tomer Kashi (CEO) and Ori Blumenthal (CTO). SkyWatch generates revenue as a licensed insurance broker, earning commission on premiums underwritten by capacity partners including Starr Companies and Global Aerospace; products span hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and annual policy durations for drone and aircraft coverage, including specialized segments such as agricultural spray-drone liability, rotorcraft, and student/CFI renter insurance.
The platform is built around a self-service quote-and-bind web and mobile experience with instant policy issuance, supported by an ecosystem of channel partners (flight schools, drone training organizations, drone software platforms such as DroneDeploy and Maps Made Easy, and industry bodies like AUVSI and Embry-Riddle) that route qualified referrals into SkyWatch's purchase flow. The 2023 acquisition of DroneInsurance.com from REIN extended SkyWatch's reach across all 50 U.S. states and Canada, and in late 2023 the company launched SkyWatch CO-Pilot, an AI assistant distributed via OpenAI's GPT Plus marketplace that provides FAA Part 107 exam preparation and operational guidance. Underwriting capacity is provided by Starr Companies (initial seed investor and core capacity partner) and Global Aerospace.
SkyWatch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SkyWatch
- Legal name
- Skywatch Ltd.
- Website
- https://skywatch.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SkyWatch is a digital InsurTech broker providing commercial drone and light aircraft insurance via a self-service platform across the U.S. and Canada, serving individual pilots, drone operators, flight schools, and enterprise fleet customers underwritten by Starr Companies and Global Aerospace.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SkyWatch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aviation Insurance
- NAICS
- Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421)
- SIC
- Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Aviation Insurance (FSAJAMAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Aviation Hull Insurance (FSAJAHAC), Aviation Liability Insurance (Passenger & Third-Party) (FSAJAHAD)
Keywords
Where SkyWatch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palo Alto
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
SkyWatch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Drone Insurance Premiums: SkyWatch generates revenue through insurance premiums charged to drone operators for commercial and recreational coverage. The company acts as a licensed insurance broker, earning commission compensation from insurance sales as disclosed in their terms of service.
- Aircraft Insurance Premiums: Revenue from aircraft owner and renter insurance policies covering Light Sport Aircraft, gliders, multi-engine aircraft, experimental aircraft, seaplanes, and rotorcraft. Policies available in various duration formats from daily to annual.
- Fleet/Enterprise Insurance: Customized insurance solutions for drone fleets and enterprise operations with configurable liability limits ($1M-$10M+) and optional coverage add-ons including worldwide coverage, indoor operations, and extended medical/personal injury coverage.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Drone Insurance - Hourly/Daily/Weekly/Monthly/Annual flexible coverage |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise Drone Fleet Insurance with configurable liability limits |
| Subscription | Annual | Aircraft Owner Insurance - Liability and Hull options |
| Subscription | Annual | Agriculture Drone Insurance - Hull and Liability |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Non-Owned Aircraft/Renter Insurance |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
SkyWatch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SkyWatch is a licensed digital insurance broker that sells aviation insurance—primarily commercial drone coverage and light aircraft (owner, renter, student, CFI) coverage—through a self-service online platform with instant quoting and policy binding, flexible duration options from hourly to annual, and specialized products for agriculture, fleet/enterprise, rotorcraft, glider, and seaplane operators. The platform also distributes policies from underwriting partners such as Starr Companies and Global Aerospace, and provides broker consulting for enterprise fleet customers.
Product overview
SkyWatch is a digital insurance platform providing two broad insurance verticals: Commercial Drone Insurance and Aviation (Aircraft) Insurance. The drone insurance product line includes hourly, monthly, and annual commercial drone insurance plans, a Canadian-specific plan, agriculture drone insurance, enterprise/fleet insurance, and broker services. The aviation insurance product line covers aircraft owners (single-engine, multi-engine, glider, seaplane, experimental, Light Sport Aircraft), aircraft renters/non-owned insurance (for students, CFIs, rotorcraft pilots), and ancillary coverage including hangar insurance and senior pilot insurance. The platform is fully digital with instant quotes, online policy binding, and duration-based pricing (daily, weekly, monthly, annual). The company also offers an AI assistant (CO-Pilot) as a GPT Plus add-on for FAA exam prep and drone business advice.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SkyWatch CO-Pilot: AI assistant for drone business operators, providing FAA Part 107 exam preparation, business growth advice, and operational support.
Products and services
- Hourly Commercial Drone Insurance On-demand hourly commercial drone insurance for commercial operators needing short-term liability and hull coverage priced and purchased per flight or per hour of operation.
- Monthly Commercial Drone Insurance Flexible monthly commercial drone insurance for Part 107 operators who need coverage for a month or a season without committing to an annual plan.
- Annual Commercial Drone Insurance Annual commercial drone insurance for professional drone operators covering commercial use across multiple industries including construction, aerial mapping, agriculture, deliveries, public safety, and drone shows.
- Drone Insurance for Canadians Commercial drone insurance tailored for Canadian operators and available across all Canadian provinces via SkyWatch's Canadian portal.
- Agriculture Drone Insurance Specialized drone insurance for agricultural operations including crop scouting, crop spraying, and mapping, covering hull and liability including spray drift and chemical application liability.
- Enterprise & Drone Fleets Insurance Customized commercial drone insurance for enterprise clients and drone fleet operators with liability limits from $1M to above $10M, optional hull coverage, and add-ons including worldwide coverage, indoor operations, extended medical expenses, and extended personal injury coverage.
- Drone Insurance for Fleets Multi-drone fleet insurance for operators managing multiple commercial drones under a single policy.
- Aircraft Owner's Insurance Comprehensive aviation insurance for private aircraft owners covering Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), single-engine, multi-engine, gliders, experimental aircraft, and seaplanes, with liability up to $1M per incident and $200K per passenger and optional hull coverage.
- Aircraft Renter's Insurance Non-owned aircraft insurance for pilots who fly aircraft they do not own, covering liability for bodily injury and property damage as well as physical damage to the rented aircraft, sold as excess coverage on daily, weekly, monthly, and annual durations.
- Student Pilot Insurance Non-owned aircraft insurance specifically designed for flight students renting aircraft for training, instruction, and flight testing.
- Senior Pilot Insurance Aircraft owner's insurance tailored for senior pilots with coverage options and pricing adjusted for experienced older aviators.
- CFI Insurance Non-owned aircraft insurance for Certified Flight Instructors providing dual instruction in aircraft they do not own, protecting instructors personally as excess coverage separate from the flight school's policy and the student's coverage.
- Hangar Insurance Insurance coverage for aircraft hangars, protecting the physical structure and contents.
- Rotorcraft Renter's Insurance Non-owned aircraft insurance for pilots renting helicopters and other rotorcraft, covering liability and physical damage with daily, weekly, monthly, and annual duration options.
- Glider & Seaplane Owners Insurance Aircraft owner's insurance for gliders and seaplanes including Piper Super Cub on floats and Cessna 172/182 on floats, part of SkyWatch's broader light aircraft owner's portfolio.
- Multi-Engine Aircraft Owners Insurance Aircraft owner's insurance for multi-engine aircraft owners within SkyWatch's light aircraft insurance portfolio.
- SkyWatch CO-Pilot AI Assistant AI-powered conversational assistant for drone operators that provides FAA Part 107 exam preparation, answers technical and operational drone questions, and offers business growth advice; available exclusively to GPT Plus users via the OpenAI ChatGPT platform.
- Broker Services Insurance broker services spanning both the drone and aviation segments, allowing insurance brokers to sell SkyWatch products to their clients, with dedicated broker consulting available via Calendly.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 300,000 commercial drone insurance policies issued, demonstrating significant market traction
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SkyWatch
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SkyWatch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
SkyWatch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Drone LifeminorDrone industry publication featuring SkyWatch coverage and marketing presence. Relationship provides earned media and brand visibility within drone operator community.
- Unmanned AerialminorTrade publication featuring SkyWatch coverage and branding. Industry media partnership enhancing brand credibility and reach among UAV professionals.
- Carrier ManagementminorAviation insurance industry publication coverage of SkyWatch. Earned media presence enhancing credibility within insurance industry.
- BenzingaminorFinancial and business media outlet featuring SkyWatch content. Brand visibility in mainstream business media.
- Starr CompaniescoreStrategic underwriting partnership providing insurance capacity. Starr Companies is a leading insurance organization providing underwriting support for SkyWatch drone insurance products.
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversitycorePremier aviation university partnership providing access to student pilot market and credibility endorsement from top aviation educational institution. Partnership announced 2020.
- DroneUminorDrone training and education organization partnership providing referral channel to SkyWatch insurance products. Co-marketing relationship serving drone pilot community.
- UAV CoachminorDrone training platform with referral partnership directing training graduates to SkyWatch for insurance needs. Integration of SkyWatch insurance options in UAV Coach platform.
- DronitekminorDrone hardware and services company partnership announced December 2019. Referral and integration relationship serving commercial drone operators.
- AUVSIcoreAssociation for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International - premier industry association membership and TOP program participation. Strategic relationship for industry visibility and credibility.
- DroneHiveminorDrone services company partnership with co-marketing relationship serving commercial drone operations.
- Sling Pilot AcademyminorFlight school partnership directing student pilots to SkyWatch for renter insurance. Integration and co-marketing relationship.
- Springs AviationminorFlight school partnership directing student pilots to SkyWatch for renter insurance. Integration and co-marketing relationship.
- Sporty'sminorAviation products retailer partnership with co-marketing presence serving pilot community with insurance referrals.
- Global AerospacecoreUnderwriting partner providing non-owned aircraft insurance policies through SkyWatch platform. Provides supplemental protection including search and rescue and runway foaming coverage.
- Four ForcesminorDrone training organization partnership directing graduates to SkyWatch insurance products.
- Skyfarer AcademyminorDrone training academy partnership providing referral channel for newly trained commercial drone pilots.
- FlyCoreminorDrone services company partnership with co-marketing relationship serving commercial drone operations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SkyWatch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Global Aerospace: Global Aerospace is a leading aviation insurance underwriter providing hull and liability capacity for general aviation. Comparable to SkyWatch as the carrier providing non-owned aircraft capacity, with overlap in the general aviation insurance value chain though operating as an underwriter rather than broker.
- Beazley Aviation: Beazley offers specialty aviation insurance including light aircraft and emerging drone coverage through its specialty lines division. Comparable to SkyWatch in aviation specialty insurance focus though operating as a Lloyd's-affiliated insurer with significantly larger capital base and broader portfolio.
- Starr Companies: Starr Companies is a global insurance organization with aviation underwriting capabilities and SkyWatch's lead seed investor and core drone capacity partner. Comparable as both a strategic investor and a competitor in commercial aviation insurance underwriting.
- AOPA Insurance Program: AOPA's insurance program serves Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association members with broad aviation coverage from leading carriers. Functions as a large, established distribution channel for general aviation insurance, overlapping with SkyWatch's light aircraft products but serving a much larger member base through traditional broker relationships.
Direct peers
- BWI Aviation Insurance: BWI is an aviation insurance brokerage specializing in light aircraft, rotorcraft, and experimental aircraft coverage. Directly comparable to SkyWatch's aviation (non-drone) segment in customer base, product line, and broker distribution model.
- Avion Insurance: Avion Insurance is an aviation insurance broker offering owner and renter coverage for general aviation pilots. Comparable to SkyWatch's aircraft owner and non-owned aircraft renter products for similar pilot customer segments.
- Coverdrone: Coverdrone is a specialist drone insurance broker offering annual and monthly policies for commercial UAS operators globally. Directly comparable to SkyWatch's commercial drone insurance line with similar specialty focus on commercial UAV liability and hull coverage.
- Flock Cover: Flock is a UK-based digital drone insurance provider using app-based fleet management and usage-based pricing for commercial operators. Comparable to SkyWatch in product-led drone insurance distribution and integration with flight management workflows.
- Thimble (formerly Verifly): Thimble is a direct competitor offering on-demand, hourly-to-annual drone liability insurance for Part 107 operators via a fully digital platform. Closely matches SkyWatch's core drone insurance product, target customer, and PLG go-to-market motion.
Emerging players
- DroneInsurance.com (REIN): DroneInsurance.com was the original drone insurance specialist whose assets SkyWatch acquired from REIN in October 2023. Directly comparable predecessor with overlapping customer base, providing a baseline for SkyWatch's combined scale post-acquisition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SkyWatch social profiles
Digital presenceSkyWatch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SkyWatch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
SkyWatch subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
SkyWatch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SkyWatch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SkyWatch
What does SkyWatch do?
SkyWatch is a licensed digital insurance broker that sells aviation insurance—primarily commercial drone coverage and light aircraft (owner, renter, student, CFI) coverage—through a self-service online platform with instant quoting and policy binding, flexible duration options from hourly to annual, and specialized products for agriculture, fleet/enterprise, rotorcraft, glider, and seaplane operators. The platform also distributes policies from underwriting partners such as Starr Companies and Global Aerospace, and provides broker consulting for enterprise fleet customers.
Is SkyWatch a public or private company?
SkyWatch is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SkyWatch founded?
SkyWatch was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SkyWatch based?
SkyWatch is headquartered in Palo Alto, United States, in the North America region.
How does SkyWatch make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Drone Insurance Premiums are the primary driver. The others are aircraft Insurance Premiums and fleet/Enterprise Insurance.
Who are SkyWatch's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Global Aerospace, Beazley Aviation, Starr Companies and AOPA Insurance Program. Direct peers are BWI Aviation Insurance, Avion Insurance, Coverdrone, Flock Cover and Thimble (formerly Verifly). DroneInsurance.com (REIN) is listed as an emerging player.
Does SkyWatch have an API?
No public API is recorded for SkyWatch.
What industry is SkyWatch in?
SkyWatch's product category is Aviation Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJAMAI, Marine & Aviation Insurance, with a secondary code of FSAJAHAC, Aviation Hull Insurance. Its NAICS code is 52421 and its SIC code is 6331.