Mark Skoog

Chief Executive Officer

Mark Skoog retired from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center as their Principal Investigator for Autonomy.  There, he finished leading a collaborative effort between NASA, the FAA, DoD and Industry to develop certification methods for autonomous vehicles.  He graduated from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.  Over the past 45 years he has supported numerous NASA and Air Force fighter and UAV research efforts as well as test and evaluation of the F-16, B-2 and Global Hawk.  Focus areas have included the integration of digital flight controls and avionics with high authority autopilots to automatically accomplish all phases of fighter combat missions.  Much of his career has been dedicated to the development of full vehicle autonomy and automatic collision avoidance systems, for both ground and air.  He has recently established the companies Innovative Autonomy and Level 5 Autonomy Labs, both dedicated to the development and advancement of autonomous systems.

  • Founder and CEO – Innovative Autonomy & Level 5 Autonomy Labs LLCs (2021 – Present)
    Leading cutting-edge initiatives in autonomous systems and aviation technology, focusing on integrity management, trajectory prediction, and advanced autonomy research and development.

    Principal Investigator and Chief Engineer – NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (2006 – 2021)
    Served as a key figure in advanced autonomy research and aerospace engineering. Led critical initiatives including the Resilient Autonomy Ends and various safety and collision avoidance projects. Provided technical leadership and project management for both manned and unmanned flight systems.

    Test and Project Engineer – Air Force Flight Test Center (1981 – 2000)
    Directed and managed highly integrated test efforts for UAV platforms, advanced fighter technologies, and automated flight control systems for projects like AFTI/F-16 and Global Hawk. Contributed to numerous aviation firsts, including digital terrain-based ground proximity warning and automated collision avoidance systems.

    • Autonomous Systems: Nationally recognized expert in aircraft collision avoidance and automated flight systems.

    • Flight Systems Engineering: Specializing in high-authority autopilots, integrated avionics, and advanced flight controls.

    • Pilot-Vehicle Interface Development: Expertise in visual systems, voice recognition, and cockpit control/display integration.

    • Advanced Project Management: Skilled in cross-functional team leadership, developmental testing, and resource optimization for high-technology projects.

    • Patents: Awarded three patents for innovations in automated collision avoidance and digital terrain encoding.

    • Collier Trophy: Recipient of the prestigious Collier Trophy (2019) for contributions to aviation safety and technology.

    • NASA Distinguished Service Medal: Awarded in 2022 for outstanding contributions to aerospace research.

    • Aviation Week Aerospace Laurels: Recipient in both 1998 and 2015 for advancements in aerospace engineering.

    • Additional Honors:

      • Finalist for the Service of America Medal (2017)

      • Air Force Chief of Safety Special Achievement Award (2003)

      • Tony LeVier Safety Award (1998, 2003, 2017)

      • Commendation from the Swedish Chief of Material Command

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