The Ukraine-origin team is bringing the first battle-proven, portable SIGINT system to the global market, backed by a $1.6 million oversubscribed pre-seed round.
In a move set to redefine modern battlefield awareness, dual-use technology company Sky Spy has successfully raised $1.6 million to launch its autonomous AI-driven systems. Co-led by Expeditions Fund and Superangel, the investment will fuel the production and go-to-market strategy of a technology born directly from the harsh lessons of the war in Ukraine.
The Critical Gap: Why Traditional SIGINT Fails
Sky Spy was founded to solve a lethal problem: the failure of legacy Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) in saturated environments. Experience from the frontlines has shown that amidst thousands of civilian, commercial, and military transmitters, traditional ground and airborne systems struggle to deliver reliable data.
The reality is stark: in dense, contested environments, units often rely solely on visual intelligence because legacy systems miss up to 80% of small, high-priority targets. Sky Spy addresses this signal chaos head-on.
“Sky Spy was built by people who’ve seen how unreliable intelligence costs lives”, says Arsenii Hurtavtsov, CEO of Sky Spy. “Our mission is simple: to give forces real-time awareness in the spectrum – because the side that dominates the spectrum dominates the war”.
Meet Agent 001: The Autonomous Spectrum Hunter
The company’s flagship innovation, Agent 001, is a compact payload designed to turn small drones into autonomous intelligence assets. Weighing just over 500 grams, the system distinguishes itself through:
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Onboard Processing: Unlike systems requiring external compute, Agent 001 runs its full signal-processing pipeline internally, allowing for immediate response.
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Resilience: It delivers precision even in GPS-denied conditions and under heavy jamming.
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Fusion Tech: It combines RF intelligence with visual confirmation to detect, classify, and localize radio emitters—including UAS control stations and jammers—in real time.
Soldiers who tested the system described it as the “first solution of its kind” proven in live combat situations.
Validated on the Frontline
This is not theoretical tech. Sky Spy has already passed the ultimate test: frontline validation with active military units in Ukraine. Operating in one of the world’s most contested electromagnetic environments, the system successfully identified and located hostile emitters where others failed.
Now operating across the US and EU, the Sky Spy team combines deep technical expertise with operational combat experience. The company is currently integrating its technology into next-generation tactical ISR platforms, attracting attention from world-leading UAS producers.
Investor Confidence
The pre-seed round included participation from Freedom Fund, Sunfish Partners, Crosscourt Ventures, and Material Ventures. Investors cited the team’s ability to solve hard problems with speed and precision.
“We were looking for a while to find a product that could radically improve signal intelligence in contested environments”, said Andrzej Rościszewski, Investment Associate at Expeditions Fund. “Sky Spy’s initial product, trained on battlefield electromagnetic data… aims to solve one of the most pressing problems in today’s battlefield”.
Jaan Kokk, Senior Associate at Superangel, added: “From the first meeting, Sky Spy impressed us with their deep technical talent and real operational insight. We believe they have the rare ability to move fast… and deliver capabilities that work where it matters”.
Source: Sky Spy
