Sky Spy Secures $1.6 Million for Portable SIGINT System
Sky Spy, a dual-use startup developing compact signal intelligence (SIGINT) systems for contested and congested environments, founded by a Ukrainian team now based in the US and EU, has secured $1.6 million in an oversubscribed, pre-seed round co-led by Expeditions Fund and Superangel, with Freedom Fund, Sunfish Partners, Crosscourt Ventures, and Material Ventures participating. The recent funding will support market entry, production rollout, and team growth to deliver fully autonomous, AI-powered signal intelligence systems.
This investment comes after successful frontline trials of their first product, Agent 001, which was tested with military units in Ukraine - one, if not the world’s most densely contested electromagnetic environment. During these tests, Agent 001 efficiently detected and geolocated enemy transmitters, such as UAS control stations and electronic warfare systems. Soldiers called it the first system of its kind to prove effective in real combat situations.
Agent 001, Sky Spy’s flagship device, is a lightweight, drone-mounted device that detects, classifies, and geolocates radio emitters, including drone control stations and jammers. It transforms small drones into autonomous “signal hunters” by merging radio intelligence with visual verification. Weighing just over 500 grams, it can detect, classify, and locate radio emitters in real time, even when jamming or GPS denial is present, using proprietary algorithms, specialized RF hardware, and combat data.
Unlike traditional solutions designed for large aircraft or fixed networks, Agent 001 operates autonomously, processing signals onboard without reliance on external computing and connects with any COP/C2 infrastructure, and combines radio-frequency detection with visual confirmation. It is marketed as a cost-effective option for both defense and dual-use clients. Sky Spy reports interest from major global drone makers and ongoing work on integrating their module into next-generation tactical platforms.
Drawing from experiences in the war in Ukraine, the Sky Spy team points out that military units often operate among thousands of civilian and military transmitters, where conventional SIGINT systems typically underperform, leading to heavy reliance on visual intelligence and missed detection of most high-priority targets.
Sky Spy CEO and Founder, Ukrainian Arsenii Hurtavtsov, remarked that: “Sky Spy was built by people who’ve seen how unreliable intelligence costs lives. Our mission is simple: to give forces real-time awareness in the spectrum – because the side that dominates the spectrum dominates the war.” Hurtavtsov highlighted the team’s strong technical capabilities, rapid development pace, and the meaningful validation the product has already received from its users.