Founder feature: Revolutionizing Airspace for Drones
Umar Chughtai, CEO of AirDodge, is on a mission to revolutionize how we perceive and utilize airspace, with a particular focus on integrating drones safely and efficiently. AirDodge, specializes in providing automated air traffic management solutions for drones, known as U-Space services.
A Lifelong Fascination with Flight
Umar's fascination with flight began early; his mother claims his first word was "airplane." This passion coexisted with a cross cultural upbringing; he grew up in Lahore, Pakistan, yet also spent part of his childhood in London, developing British habits. Umar describes his upbringing as being across Western and subcontinental cultures, with his mother being British by upbringing and his father's side of the family largely residing in the USA.
Although his dreams of becoming an Air Force pilot were dashed due to needing glasses, his passion for aviation persisted. He pursued a degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in drones as the field emerged. This set him on a path to establish his own enterprise within drones and aerial robotics.
From Sweden to Norway: Building AirDodge
AirDodge was initially started by Umar in Sweden in 2022. However, he moved the company to Norway in 2023, where he met his tech co-founder, Serhii Mykytko, and they built the company together. The near-collision of his drone with a helicopter during an operation with his previous company, Skyqraft, highlighted the critical need for Unmanned Traffic Management, the core of AirDodge's work.
AirDodge's platform provides real-time mapping of drone and manned aircraft activity and streamlines the process of obtaining flight permissions, which is essential for large-scale drone operations. By enabling the integration of drones into shared airspace, AirDodge enhances operational efficiency and safety for drone operators, airports, and municipalities.
The company's work is grounded in the U-Space framework, based on European Aviation law, which was integrated into Norwegian Aviation law in October 2024.
A Strong Team and Ambitious Goals
Umar met Serhii Mykytko, AirDodge's CTO, through an ad he posted on the Hub - a recruitment platform for Nordic startups. Fascinated by robotics from a young age, Sehrii quickly discovered the power of software to solve real-world problems. Through his career, he built complex systems for the Ukrainian telecom industry, realizing how digital technology can impact millions.
Having experienced the devastation of war and fleeing his home country of Ukraine, Serhii shares Umar's vision for making airspace safer and more accessible through technology.
“ When war broke out, the sky over Ukraine became dangerous for civilians, and I had to relocate my family to safety. That experience gave me clarity: sky safety matters ”
Currently, AirDodge has a small but focused team of six, including three contractor developers in Ukraine and Poland. The company raised €485,000 in December 2024, following a pre-seed investment from Antler and a grant from Innovation Norway.
AirDodge's plans for growth involve conquering the Nordics, with a primary focus on Norway, and then scaling to other European countries with high drone activity. Umar's vision for AirDodge is to become the leading traffic management company globally, essentially the "Boeing or Airbus" of their field.
The New Kids on the Block
Umar acknowledges the challenges of starting a company in the aviation industry, a highly regulated field dominated by established players. Building trust and establishing a reputable name takes time and effort, especially when entering the scene without a pre-existing network.
Moving to Oslo in 2023, Umar admits that it was hard to find the right support system in the beginning. However, he highlights Norway's culture of low hierarchy structures as very beneficial for networking, and now AirDodge has a seat at the table in the industry:
“Two years later we are giving lessons to people and the aviation industry is listening.”
Umar finds the work incredibly exciting. AirDodge is revolutionizing low-altitude airspace operations, entering a niche with significant impact and setting new standards in aviation.
Oslo: A Hub for Entrepreneurship
Oslo has proven to be a highly favorable environment for entrepreneurship, in Umar's view. He emphasizes the strength of Oslo's startup ecosystem, the valuable support from public agencies like Innovation Norway and The Research Council of Norway, and the low levels of bureaucracy. In his experience, the high levels of trust and integrity within Norway are a significant advantage for entrepreneurs.
“ The concept of trust and integrity is very high - it´s the highest I´ve ever experienced. That is the beauty of Norway. ”
In comparison to Sweden, where Umar experienced a slow bureaucratic process, a lack of resources, and limited investor interest in his sector, Oslo stands out as a prime location for startups. He contends that if an entrepreneur has a solid, viable idea, Oslo is the place to be. While concerns about taxes may arise, he considers these "first-world problems" relative to the obstacles faced when building a business elsewhere.
Umar's ambition is to highlight Norway's strengths as a place for startups, believing that it often gets overlooked in favor of Sweden. Having built companies in both countries, he feels he can offer a balanced perspective, concluding that Norway excels in several key areas.
Comfortable and compact city life
Umar also appreciates the quality of life in Oslo - describing moving here as “a breath of fresh air”. Having spent his 8 years in Sweden living on the outskirts of Stockholm, he found an apartment in the city center of Oslo and enjoys the proximity to restaurants, gyms, and grocery stores.
“ I would say Oslo made me realize what a fun and comfortable city life is like. ”
When he is not working, Umar is focused on training with Bruce, a gym/lifestyle subscription and has become an avid boxer - giving a shoutout to the trainers Emelia Sylte at Studio Jobbsprekk and Carl Frederik at Crew Trening. Umar is also saving up to get a private pilot's license- finally completing his childhood dream.
Looking ahead
In order to test their solution, Umar and AirDodge are actively collaborating with key stakeholders in the aviation sector, including the Civil Aviation Authority (Luftfartstilsynet) and Sintef. This spring, they are partnering with NORCE Norwegian Research Centre to establish a test airspace above the skies of Bærum, a key use case will be drones being used to detect potential wildfires using their system.
AirDodge is also working towards establishing a "green highway" in the sky, connecting Røros in Norway with Östersund in Sweden, further demonstrating their commitment to expanding the possibilities of drone technology.
Looking ahead, Umar's professional ambition is clear: to set the benchmark and make a significant impact in the field of aviation. He envisions AirDodge becoming a dominant force, whether that manifests as "the Spotify of the sky" or through acquisition by an aviation giant like Airbus or Boeing. For Umar, true professional success lies in achieving excellence in his chosen field and, ultimately, inspiring other foreign entrepreneurs to pursue their ambitions:
“ Creating a bastion of hope for other foreign entrepreneurs would be the ultimate bonus ”
Snapshot:
Founder: Umar Chughtai
Country of origin: Pakistan
Company: AirDodge
Year founded: 2022
What the company does: providing automated air traffic management solutions for drones
Sector: U-Space
Number of employees: 6
Markets served: Nordics with plans to expand to Europe
