Company


MISSION

Founded in 2007, DigiSky enters the market of light aircraft manufacturers as an engineering company able to handle
the whole industrial process, from initial research up to the full production of avionics equipment (EFIS) to assist the pilot in all phases of flight. All the solutions respond to the basic idea to improve flight safety also with non conventional products thought for the non professional sports pilot. The goal of the company is to manufacture avionics products able to continuously control and monitor flight conditions and aircraft systems in a totally automatic way.

Company mission can be resumed in three different but complementary areas:

  • design, engineer and manufacture integrated flight electronic systems directly for aircraft manufacturers;
  • offer opportunities of technological transfer based on a long experience on light sports aircraft;
  • support flight testing of new avionics equipment for general and commercial aviation applications.


 


VISION

Maurizio and Paolo have developed a huge experience in the aerospace sector. Maurizio as part of his professional activity while Paolo as an enthusiast for all new aviation technologies. The idea was then born to put together the knowledge and know how in order to offer light aircraft manufacturers integrated high technology avionics solutions finalized at increasing flight safety.

The synergies between the two turn around 4 main cornerstones:

  • transfer Maurizio’s experience on high performance aircraft (i.e. Eurofighter) into the design and engineer of a low cost system to flight test light aircraft;
  • utilization of Paolo’s professional competencies in the design and engineering of critical and complex electronic systems with a particular regard on the Man machine interface aspects. Paolo has developed these competencies while designing systems for biomedical process automation purposes and in the field of aeronautical constructions;
  • utilization of the knowledge acquired by Maurizio while developing and flight testing complex international aeronautical projects;
  • deep knowledge acquired by both Paolo and Maurizio in the light and sports aviation sector in more than 20 years of activity.


 


STAFF
Maurizio Cheli
Scientific Director

Graduated in Aerospace Engineering from Houston university. He brings into DigiSky more than 4500 hours of flight experience, mostly in flight testing high performance aircraft, on more than 50 different types of aircraft and approximately 360 hours of space flight.
He joined the Italian Air Force in 1978 and after pilot training in the USA he became an operational pilot on F-104G while stationed at 3rd Wing near Verona. In 1987 he was transferred to the Italian Air Force flight test centre and in 1988 he became a test pilot after graduating from the Empire Test Pilot’s School, Boscombe Down (UK) as first of his class.

In 1992 he was selected by the European Space Agency and sent to NASA’s Johnson Space Centre where in 1993 he became an astronaut. In 1996 he flew as STS-75 Mission Specialist aboard the Space Shuttle. The same year he joined Alenia Aeronautica and in 1998 he became Chief Test Pilot and worked in the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon.

During the World Air Games in 2009 recorded a world record for speed with an experimental aircraft with electric propulsion (SkySpark).

cheli@digisky.it

Go to Maurizio Cheli's page
Paolo Pari
Presidente & CEO

Electronics engineer. He flies gliders, single engine aircraft and helicopters. He developed the idea of DigiSky after having designed and engineered one of the first prototypes of glass cockpit for his light aircraft, a Pelican GS, which has been flying since 1996.

Since 1998 he has been working in the field of industrial process automation to develop synoptic applications. He has conceived, designed and engineered several biomedical applications and he is specialized in the integration of diagnostical and therapeutical systems for hospital applications. In 2004 he is the founder and CEO of a lead engineering company in the hospital sector.

In 2008 is Project Manager of the "SkySpark" aircraft.