Anzen Unmanned

What Anzen Unmanned does

Anzen Unmanned is a privately held, Grand Rapids, Michigan-based drone and aviation regulatory consulting firm founded in 2021 by Tim Skutt (CEO), Wendy Ljungren (COO), Fred Stein (Director of Safety and Regulation), and Paul Hedding (Director of Certification). The firm provides professional services to UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) and AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) manufacturers, operators, state and local governments, and public agencies, helping them navigate FAA approvals including Part 107 waivers, exemptions, type certification (Part 21.17(b) and Part 23), production certification, Safety Management System development at five tiers, and UAS corridor/UOA frameworks. Core service lines include Advanced Operations Consulting, Corridors and UAS Operations Areas Consulting, Regulatory Standards Support, FAA Consulting, and SMS Consulting, supplemented by a part-time Fractional Safety Officer offering. Deliverables include solution strategies, system assessments and gap analyses, hazard analyses and risk assessments, ARP4761A safety fault trees, and complete approval packages.

The firm operates on a quote-based, project-scoped professional services revenue model targeting enterprise clients (OEMs, drone operators, UTM vendors, government agencies) across verticals including security, oil and gas, agriculture, first responders, power, insurance, and military/public agency operations. Distribution is direct enterprise/field sales; marketing relies on owned content (blog, email newsletter) and industry conferences such as AUVSI XPONENTIAL. Under a NASA SBIR Phase II award announced in April 2024, Anzen is productizing two offerings beyond pure consulting: the Expeditionary BVLOS Kit (cooperative and uncooperative aircraft detection, micro-weather surveillance, local/wide-area communications for wildfire response) and the UTM Airspace Assistant (an on-premise UTM operations center providing composite airspace and weather pictures and automated UAS operations management), in partnership with OneSky. The firm's credibility rests on first-of-kind regulatory milestones: the first FAA BVLOS approval using a Detect-and-Avoid technical solution (groundwork for ASTM F3442), combined BVLOS/operations-over-people waivers, the first BVLOS m:N Part 107 waiver under an FAA BAA project, and an FAA-published final report validating multi-UAS BVLOS approvability. No equity funding rounds, acquisitions, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Anzen Unmanned

Legal name

Anzen Unmanned

Website

https://anzenunmanned.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Anzen Unmanned is a drone and aviation regulatory consulting firm that helps UAS manufacturers, operators, and government agencies secure FAA approvals, waivers, exemptions, and type certifications for advanced operations including BVLOS and multi-UAS deployments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Regulatory Consulting

NAICS

Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (488190), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Air Traffic Control (488111)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Avionics Software, Certification & Safety-Critical Systems (DO-178/DO-254) (IMABAFAK), Emerging Aviation Maintenance (UAS/Drone, eVTOL & Advanced Air Mobility) (EDAOAFAO)

Keywords

• Drone regulatory consulting
• FAA compliance services
• BVLOS approval consulting
• UAS type certification
• Aviation safety consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Regulatory Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for FAA approvals, waivers, exemptions, and certification packages. Services include solution strategies, system assessments, gap resolution, and safety case development for UAS operations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Anzen Unmanned provides FAA regulatory and safety consulting services for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations. The firm develops the strategy, system assessments, safety cases (including ARP4761A fault trees), and waiver/exemption/certification documentation packages required to secure FAA approvals such as BVLOS waivers, operations over people/vehicles, multi-UAS (m:N) approvals, night waivers, and type/production certifications.

Product overview

Anzen Unmanned is a drone and aviation consulting firm — not a software product company — offering a portfolio of regulatory and safety consulting services centered on FAA regulatory navigation for UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) and AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) operations. Its core offerings span Advanced Operations Consulting (solution strategies, system assessments, safety case development including ARP4761 fault trees, and approvals for waivers/exemptions/certification packages), Corridors and UAS Operations Areas Consulting (BVLOS, m:N, operations over people/vehicles), Regulatory Standards Support (Type Certification under Part 21.17(b) and Part 23, Production Certification), FAA Consulting Services, and Safety Management System (SMS) Consulting at five levels (Basic, Declarative, Auditable, SMSVP, and Required SMS). The firm also offers a Fractional Safety Officer (FSO) service as a part-time safety leadership engagement. Under a NASA SBIR Phase II award, the firm is developing two distinct products: the Expeditionary BVLOS Kit (airspace surveillance and BVLOS communications infrastructure for wildfire response) and the UTM Airspace Assistant (on-premise UTM operations center for composite airspace/weather picture and automated UAS operations management).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advanced Operations Consulting Solution strategies and integration, system assessments and gap resolution, safety case development (including risk assessments and ARP4761 safety fault trees), and approvals including waivers, exemptions, and certification packages for advanced UAS operations. For UAS/AAM manufacturers, operators, and government agencies seeking complex FAA regulatory approvals.
• Corridors and UAS Operations Areas Consulting Corridor and UOA (UAS Operations Area) approval framework including solution strategies, system assessments, gap resolution, and approvals for BVLOS, 1:many (m:N), and operations over people/vehicles through waivers and exemptions. For state/local governments and operators implementing UAS corridors.
• Regulatory Standards Support Type Certification support including Part 21.17(b) and Part 23, Production Certification assistance, and regulatory liaison with standards bodies and aviation authorities. For UAS/AAM manufacturers pursuing FAA certification.
• FAA Consulting Services Expert navigation of FAA drone regulations including pilot certification, operational limitations, Safety Management Systems (SMS), equipment standards, and obtaining approvals, waivers, and exemptions. For UAS operators and businesses entering or scaling drone operations.
• Safety Management System (SMS) Consulting Development and management of Safety Management Systems for UAS operators at five levels: Basic, Declarative, Auditable, SMS Voluntary Program (SMSVP), and Required SMS, tailored to organizational complexity. For UAS operators seeking compliant safety programs.
• Fractional Safety Officer (FSO) Service Part-time or contract UAS safety professional who serves as an organization's safety officer, providing SMS expertise, regulatory guidance, and safety program management scaled to organizational demand. For UAS operators needing dedicated safety leadership without a full-time hire.
• UAS Corridors Development Developing and implementing UAS corridors to optimize airspace for government applications, including traffic management solutions for safe UAS operations. For state and local governments implementing UAS traffic infrastructure.
• Expeditionary BVLOS Kit A common foundation for UAS BVLOS operations and airspace surveillance including cooperative and uncooperative aircraft detection, micro-weather surveillance and alerting, local and wide-area communications, and BVLOS UAS operations for wildland fire management. Developed under NASA SBIR Phase II program.
• UTM Airspace Assistant On-premise UTM (UAS Traffic Management) operations center implementation providing composite airspace and weather pictures for manned and unmanned aircraft, conflict identification and mitigation, and automated UAS operations management. Developed under NASA SBIR Phase II program.

Quantifiable outcome

• First BVLOS approval using Detect-and-Avoid technical solution establishing standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OneSkycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2024Partnered with OneSky for NASA SBIR Phase II project on Expeditionary BVLOS Infrastructure and UTM for Airborne Wildfire Response. OneSky provides UTM solution for the integrated system.
• Asylon RoboticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Asylon Robotics on FAA BAA project demonstrating viability and safety of BVLOS m:N operations. Asylon implemented requirements in their DroneCore UAS and developed simulation environment. Single operator controlled six drones including three Asylon DroneSentry drones at separate locations.
• NUAIRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with NUAIR and Griffiss International Airport test site for multi-UAS BVLOS flight testing. NUAIR provided testing environment and human factors evaluation support as part of FAA BAA project.
• Purdue UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in FAA BAA multi-UAS BVLOS project alongside Asylon Robotics, NUAIR, and Purdue University for development and testing of scalable BVLOS framework.
• FAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with FAA on regulatory approvals and standards development. Awarded FAA BAA project for standards development and participated in Partnership for Safety Program.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected for NASA SBIR Phase II program for Expeditionary BVLOS Infrastructure and UTM for Airborne Wildfire Response, combining BVLOS solutions with UTM experience.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen Hamilton operates a large federal aviation and aerospace practice supporting FAA, DoD, and DHS UAS and counter-UAS programs — competing for the enterprise and federal end of Anzen's market.
• Exponent: Exponent is a large engineering and scientific consulting firm with a transportation and aviation safety practice. Its broader scale and safety engineering expertise overlap with Anzen's safety case and ARP4761A work.
• Skyward (a Verizon company): Skyward provides UAS operations management software, LAANC, and regulatory tools for enterprise drone programs — a broader-scale platform adjacent to Anzen's regulatory navigation and safety case work.
• ICF: ICF is a large advisory and digital services firm with established aviation and FAA-facing consulting practices, competing for government and enterprise UAS regulatory and integration engagements.
• PrecisionHawk: PrecisionHawk combines drone services, data analytics, and regulatory/compliance expertise for enterprise UAS deployments. Its broader drone-services footprint overlaps with Anzen's regulatory and safety case services for enterprise operators.

Direct peers

• OneSky: OneSky is a UTM provider serving enterprise, government, and defense UAS operators; Anzen is a partner for OneSky's NASA SBIR work and the companies serve overlapping regulatory/airspace customers.
• NUAIR: Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance operates FAA-designated UAS test sites and provides regulatory, integration, and flight testing services to UAS operators and government clients — a closely aligned service portfolio to Anzen's UAS consulting and BVLOS approval work.
• Aloft (formerly Kittyhawk): Aloft provides UTM, LAANC, and airspace management software for UAS operators and enterprises — overlapping directly with Anzen's UTM Airspace Assistant and FAA USS approval work for clients like AstraUTM.

Emerging players

• DeTect: DeTect manufactures radar and DAA technologies for BVLOS, bird strike, and airspace surveillance — Anzen supported DeTect through its first radar-based DAA BVLOS approval, making them adjacent collaborators in the same approval pathway.
• Asylon Robotics: Asylon is a security and robotics UAS operator leveraging Anzen for Part 107 waivers and type certification; it represents the buyer side of Anzen's services (drone operators needing regulatory approvals).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anzen-unmanned

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Anzen Unmanned