What Skysquitter does

Skysquitter GmbH is a German B2B aerospace data company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Hattersheim am Main that operates in the aviation surveillance and meteorology niche. Its portfolio centers on extracting real-time atmospheric measurements (wind, temperature, barometric pressure, turbulence) from Mode S transponder messages broadcast by commercial aircraft, without requiring additional onboard hardware. The company builds and operates its own closed, non-crowdsourced Mode-S and ADS-B receiving network, the Skysquitter Surveillance Network (SSN), with dedicated receiver sites across Europe (Faro, Brixen, Karlsborg) using proprietary hardware and GPS-synchronized timing. A third product line, the Stratospheric Balloon Carrier System (Strato), enables high-altitude payload data collection with real-time telemetry for research and specialized applications.

The technical core combines the proprietary receiver network with bias correction, filtering, and blacklisting algorithms refined through years of flight testing using a dedicated Cessna F406 research aircraft in partnership with TU Braunschweig. The company monetizes through four streams: data monetization (Mode S Weather data products, SSN data streaming) and professional services (stratospheric balloon missions, consulting and R&D). All offerings are custom enterprise solutions with no public pricing, sold through direct B2B engagement via [email protected] and [email protected]. Target customers include national and commercial weather services, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), airlines, airports, aviation authorities, and research institutions, with named references including DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung), armasuisse, Airbus AirLab, Becker-Aero, Sero Systems, BuCET, and TU Braunschweig. The company is founder-led (Managing Director Julian Sube), remains privately held with no disclosed external funding or parent company, and operates with 1-10 employees across Germany and broader Europe.

Name

Skysquitter

Legal name

Skysquitter GmbH

Website

https://skysquitter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Skysquitter GmbH is a German aerospace data company that derives real-time meteorological measurements from aircraft Mode S transponder signals and operates a proprietary European Mode-S/ADS-B receiver network, selling custom data and surveillance products to weather services, ANSPs, airlines, and research institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Weather & Airspace Surveillance Data

NAICS

Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS) (IMABAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Radar Systems & Subsystems (Airborne, Ground, Naval) (IMABAGAA)

Keywords

• Aviation weather data
• Airspace surveillance services
• Mode S transponder processing
• ADS-B receiving networks
• Atmospheric data analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Hattersheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Mode S Weather Data Products: Sale of real-time meteorological data derived from aircraft transponder signals. Data delivered via streaming or database options in various formats for integration into customer systems.
2. Skysquitter Surveillance Network (SSN) Data Streaming: Secure, encrypted data streaming of Mode-S and ADS-B data for professional applications including airspace monitoring, aircraft tracking, and MLAT positioning. Custom network deployments for specific airspaces and sectors.
3. Stratospheric Balloon Carrier System Services: Customer-specified payload launches into the stratosphere with real-time telemetry and post-flight data recovery, analysis, and evaluation.
4. Consulting, R&D, and Analysis Services: Aviation surveillance consulting, research & development, and data analysis services for highly specialized projects in airspace monitoring and related domains.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Skysquitter operates a proprietary, closed Mode-S and ADS-B receiver network across Europe that derives real-time atmospheric measurements (wind, temperature, barometric pressure, turbulence) from commercial aircraft transponder messages, requiring no additional onboard hardware. It packages these signals into sellable data products (Mode S Weather, SSN data streams) and complements them with stratospheric balloon payload services and aviation surveillance consulting for weather services, ANSPs, and airlines.

Product overview

Skysquitter offers a portfolio of three core products centered on aviation surveillance and atmospheric data: Mode S Weather (which derives meteorological information from aircraft transponder data), the Skysquitter Surveillance Network (SSN, a commercial Mode-S/ADS-B receiving network that serves as the data-collection infrastructure and is also the data source for Mode S Weather), and a Stratospheric Balloon Carrier System for high-altitude data acquisition. The SSN is a closed, non-crowdsourced network with Skysquitter-owned hardware and GPS synchronization, and Mode S Weather is built on top of this network to provide independent, real-time weather data to weather services, air navigation service providers, and airlines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Skysquitter Surveillance Network (SSN): Commercial Mode-S & ADS-B receiving network for professional applications, offering secure data streaming and reliable airspace information.
• Mode S Weather
• Stratospheric Balloon Carrier System

Products and services

• Mode S Weather A data product that derives real-time meteorological information (wind, temperature, barometric pressure, turbulence) from raw Mode S transponder messages transmitted by commercial aircraft, without requiring additional hardware on board. Built on top of the proprietary Skysquitter Surveillance Network and sold to weather services, ANSPs, and airline operators.
• Skysquitter Surveillance Network (SSN) A commercial Mode-S and ADS-B receiving network for professional applications, offering secure encrypted data streaming, reliable airspace information, customizable coverage, and high-precision MLAT positions. All receiver sites are planned and operated by Skysquitter with dedicated hardware and GPS synchronization.
• Stratospheric Balloon Carrier System (Strato) A versatile stratospheric balloon system that enables payloads to ascend into the stratosphere for data collection, with real-time telemetry transmission to ground stations and onboard recording. Applications include meteorological measurements, Mode S/ADS-B reception, secondary radar analysis, and RF spectrum measurements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Real-time wind, temperature, barometric pressure, and turbulence data derived from Mode S transponder signals without any additional onboard hardware
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• armasuisseminorOthersSwiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport entity. Listed as a reference customer on Skysquitter's references page, indicating a commercial relationship for aviation surveillance solutions.
• DFS (Deutsche Flugsicherung)minorOthersGerman air navigation service provider. Listed as a reference customer, suggesting use of Skysquitter surveillance data or analysis services.
• BuCETminorOthersAviation research/testing organization. Listed as a reference customer, suggesting involvement in research or testing activities related to aviation surveillance.
• AirLab (Airbus)minorOthersAirbus innovation laboratory. Listed as a reference customer, suggesting collaboration on aviation research and development projects.
• TU BraunschweigminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical University of Braunschweig. Conducted joint research flight experiments with Cessna F406 research aircraft in July 2022 to validate and improve Mode S wind calculation algorithms at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (EDDB).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell Aerospace: Honeywell provides avionics, weather radar, and a broad portfolio of flight data services to airlines, business aviation, and ANSPs. It is comparable to Skysquitter in selling aviation and atmospheric data products (e.g., real-time turbulence, winds) to professional aviation customers, though within a much wider portfolio.
• Collins Aerospace: Collins Aerospace supplies avionics, surveillance systems (including MLAT), and flight-tracking data services to airlines, airports, and ANSPs worldwide. It is comparable to Skysquitter across the SSN/MLAT surveillance value chain, but as a multi-billion-dollar incumbent with a far broader product portfolio.
• Indra: Indra is a major supplier of air traffic management, surveillance (radar, ADS-B, MLAT), and weather systems to ANSPs and airports globally. It is comparable to Skysquitter as a provider of aviation surveillance infrastructure, though as a large incumbent covering the full ATM stack.
• Vaisala: Vaisala is a global leader in weather, environmental, and industrial measurement instruments and data services, including aviation weather solutions sold to ANSPs, airports, and meteorological organizations. It overlaps with Skysquitter's Mode S Weather data product at the customer level (weather services, ANSPs) but is a much broader incumbent.
• SITAONAIR: SITAONAIR delivers cockpit communications, aircraft data links, and surveillance-related services to airlines and ANSPs globally. It is comparable to Skysquitter as a B2B aviation data and connectivity provider targeting ANSPs and operators, though it operates across a much broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Aireon: Aireon provides global, space-based ADS-B surveillance by hosting receivers on the Iridium NEXT constellation and sells this data to ANSPs and aviation stakeholders. It is the closest direct peer to Skysquitter, which provides ground-based Mode-S/ADS-B surveillance data to the same ANSP customer base.
• FlightAware: FlightAware aggregates ADS-B, Mode S, and multilateration data from a global ground and space-based network and sells flight tracking and surveillance data feeds to airlines, airports, and ANSPs. Now part of Collins Aerospace, it directly competes with Skysquitter's SSN data-streaming product for professional aviation customers.

Emerging players

• Spire Global: Spire Global operates a large satellite constellation that delivers weather, atmospheric, and AIS data to commercial and government customers. It is comparable to Skysquitter's Mode S Weather product as an alternative source of high-altitude atmospheric measurements, though delivered from space rather than derived from Mode S transponders.
• Flightradar24: Flightradar24 operates one of the largest crowdsourced ADS-B receiver networks feeding consumer and commercial flight-tracking products. It is comparable to Skysquitter on data source (ADS-B/Mode S) and customer interest in aircraft tracking, but uses a crowdsourced rather than proprietary closed network model.

Others

• IAGOS: IAGOS is a European research infrastructure that equips commercial airliners with instruments to measure atmospheric composition, aerosols, and meteorology during routine flights. It is comparable to Skysquitter's Mode S Weather concept — extracting atmospheric data from commercial aircraft — but operates as a non-commercial research consortium rather than a data product business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skysquitter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Skysquitter