Mark Groden is the Founder and CEO of Skyryse. We cover the history of safety standards in general aviation, the motivation behind his mission to bring fatalities to zero, and how autonomous modes of transport will shape our future.
Principles & Lessons:
1) Enhancing general aviation safety unlocks broader access to flight. Mark highlights a “quiet crisis” in general aviation, sharing that “there’s around 1,300 accidents and somewhere between 300 and 400 fatalities” each year. He contrasts this with commercial aviation, which is “the safest mode of transportation,” and remarks that general aviation “has never before had that automation benefit.” His core belief is that if one can “leverage today’s technology to create safer and easier-to-fly helicopters and airplanes,” more people would choose them over cars for certain trips, lowering the accident rate and introducing a new era of practical, everyday flying.
2) Traditional mechanical systems limit pilot capacity and safety. Discussing the gap in automation, Mark notes that in large commercial jets, “the pilot’s communicating via copper wires… and then the computers are communicating to an actuator,” allowing safety features like preventing a stall even if the pilot pulls back aggressively. Meanwhile, general aviation aircraft “are entirely mechanical,” meaning the pilot’s direct input to pulleys and cables has no automation in the loop. Mark points out that “it’s the same technology that existed when the Wright brothers first flew,” indicating how modernization stalled in smaller craft.
3) Loss of control in flight is a leading danger, not equipment failure. While engine failures are a concern, Mark says “the #1 cause of fatal accidents… is loss of control in flight.” He believes that “if you have technology that can stabilize the aircraft and tell you where you are in space,” pilots would avoid the deadly disorientation that can quickly become fatal. He cites Kobe Bryant’s crash as an instance where “it was an intact helicopter and a mountain… they got spatially disoriented because they flew into a cloud.”
4) Automation need not mean replacing the human pilot. Mark distinguishes between full autonomy and high-level automation, stating “you don’t need full ‘autonomy.’” Instead, he sees the future in “coupling the human intention with the machine” for safer operations, pointing out that “the hardest application of this technology” is removing people entirely. By bringing pilot skill together with real-time computer support, “we can elevate them to be more capable,” and drastically reduce error-induced accidents.
5) Existing infrastructure supports more frequent flying than most realize. Mark underscores that “the ‘subway stations for the sky’ are already there,” referring to thousands of general aviation airports nationwide. Because “flight doesn’t require a sizable investment in infrastructure” like roads do, he feels that advanced automation could quickly transform these underutilized airfields into efficient hubs, especially if “you can define flight routes and corridors that minimize the presence of these aircraft” over densely populated zones.
6) Building a consistent operating system is key to scale. Mark says that when designing SkyOS, “the world is your oyster” for how a user interacts with controls, but the real challenge is “how do you capture the human intent and do it in real time.” He compares it to standardizing car pedals, explaining that each aircraft model has its own cockpit logic and that pilots “are restricted on when they can fly” due to both inconsistent controls and insufficient automation. By creating a single, universal cockpit interface, he aims to “maintain or enhance all the capability” while making operation much simpler.
7) Pilot training and skill can be “upgraded” through better human-machine integration. Mark points out, “most of the time, you’re only one mistake away from killing yourself and potentially your entire family” when flying smaller craft with minimal automation. With robust digital systems in place, novices can potentially pick up helicopter flight in “15 minutes in a simulator” plus hands-on experience—an improvement that previously “wouldn’t have been possible.” He emphasizes that “humans are incredible at high-level decision-making,” so leaving them in charge while automating routine or complex tasks can remake pilot training and drastically improve safety.
8) A focused, personal mission can drive transformation. Mark traces his motivation to a family experience, recalling a note from his grandfather predicting personal flying would be commonplace. The mission hardened when his grandfather passed: “I just knew at that moment, this is the thing that I wanted to dedicate my life to.” He has designed his life around “bringing deaths in general aviation… to 0,” acknowledging that “my life gets very narrow, very focused and highly concentrated” and that he constantly filters decisions through whether they “add value to Skyryse and the mission.” For him, it remains “an expression of who I am,” illuminating how aligning one’s life to a mission can yield both technical breakthroughs and personal resolve.
Transcript