KEF Robotics
In modern operations, timing and precise positioning are make-or-break. GPS technology usually alleviates the burden of precise operation, but what about when GPS is no longer a guarantee? That’s when a technology becomes a vulnerability for the warfighters relying on it.
Whether the result of adversarial jamming, a weak signal, or a cluttered environment, GPS navigation failure can turn a multi-million-dollar aircraft into a lost asset in seconds. And, what’s worse, it endangers lives.
KEF Robotics offers a solution. Founded in December 2018 by three space robotics experts – Kerry Snyder, Eric Amoroso, and Fraser Kitchell – KEF is solving the challenges of one of the most pernicious problems in modern aviation.
“At KEF, we build software that enables aircraft to operate without GPS,” explains Olga Pogoda, KEF’s Chief Operating Officer. “Right now, aircraft rely on a connection to a satellite. However, that connection can be jammed or spoofed very easily. It creates miscommunication, lost aircraft, and loss of life.”
KEF is developing the technology to combat the challenge of GPS-denied environments.
And KEF’s lofty aspirations match with an equally lofty origin in space robotics and winning a competitive international drone race. As we’ll see, KEF’s early successes were just the beginning; a future partnership with Vertx Partners’ team of seasoned industry experts would only expand on KEF’s achievements.
Turning a Long Shot into a Moon Shot
The KEF team didn't begin with drones; before starting the company, the founding members worked at Astrobotic in space robotics. Having previously worked on approximating how spacecraft land on extraterrestrial surfaces – environments where GPS doesn't exist, by definition – this “space-first” DNA enabled them to dominate the Lockheed Martin Alpha Pilot Competition. This international competition required the fledgling company to fly a standardized racing drone through an obstacle course without GPS or a human pilot.
When KEF was less than 100 days old, the three-person start-up from Pittsburgh placed first against some of the world's top universities. “We take somebody else's drone, and we add our software to it,” says CEO Fraser Kitchell. “The business model we have today grew from that competition.”
And KEF owes much to the publicity surrounding that early success, validating the team’s technical know-how and ensuring its future.
Today, KEF’s growth is staggering:
- Team Size: Approximately 20 employees in Pittsburgh, PA, with a new strategic office in Norway.
- Platform Versatility: They have flown their software on over 60 different aircraft, ranging from 500-gram drones to aircraft with 40-foot wingspans.
- Operational Scale: In 2023, they had flown on 10 platforms; by late 2025, that number surpassed 60.
To expand on its successes, KEF recognized the potential of a partnership with a consulting firm with expertise in Department of War (DoW) contracting. “I met Vertx through a local company called Parallax,” explains Kitchell. “What they offered us was too good to be true.”
The WIN Initiative
While KEF’s technical prowess is undeniable, navigating the labyrinth of DoW contracting is a different kind of mission. Through introductions by Parallax Advanced Research, Vertx Partners and its support of The Warfighting Integration Network (WIN) became “critical to the mission,” according to Kitchell. Thanks to its innovative tech, KEF was an established player before its introduction to Vertx and WIN; the latter leveraged KEF’s initial successes to secure a wealth of valuable contracts.
“A primary benefit of working with [WIN] is that they have given us situational awareness that we just don't have time to develop,” says Kitchell. “Our win rate has gone up on proposals, and our wasted effort has gone down because they help us figure out how to spend our time well.”
KEF is just one of the most recent members of WIN’s expanding cohort. Vertx Partners supports the WIN program’s goals of identifying small and/or “nontraditional” businesses developing technology that could be useful to the DoW. As one of WIN's arms, Vertx helped KEF reach a level of strategic business development that most small businesses cannot achieve on their own.
“They were able to introduce us to folks we would have never known, or it might have taken us years to get to them,” adds Pogoda. “They took the time to really dig deep and ask very specific questions. It’s tailored to what we need.”
In the last 12 months alone, KEF’s collaboration with WIN has yielded:
- 4 Successful SBIRs: Two from the Air Force and two from the Army.
- High-Speed Innovation: A contract to fly navigation software at Mach 0.8 (subsonic cruise missiles).
- Human-Rated Systems: Developing technology for the Army to help next-generation helicopters fly "low and fast" to avoid enemy detection.
Additionally, as part of a growing WIN network, KEF can access potential partnerships with a variety of businesses, universities, and non-profits around the country.
KEF’s Mission: "Keep Everything Fun"
Despite the high-stakes nature of defense work, Kitchell jokes that KEF stands for "Keep Everything Fun." This culture of transparency and equality has enabled the company to attract top talent from local universities such as Carnegie Mellon and Pitt while maintaining a deeply personal connection to their work.
Olga Pogoda is just such an example of this philosophy. For Pogoda, her work is more personal than just business. With family in Ukraine, she has championed KEF’s commitment to supporting the Ukrainian effort on the front lines, providing consistent software support that actually makes a mission-critical difference.
“I want to make sure that we're providing consistent support and that our partners in Ukraine know that we're not going anywhere. This wasn't some photo op. This wasn't some marketing scene,” Pogoda says. “This is a commitment from us. I love seeing how customers love the product. It’s very, very inspiring.”
The Road Ahead
As KEF moves into its new 10,000-square-foot facility in Pittsburgh, it is looking toward the next frontier: Open Water Navigation. By using celestial features, magnetism, and airspeed measurements, KEF’s autonomous systems are aiming to eliminate the “crutch” of landmarks entirely – opening a new frontier in the fight to perfect GPS-denied navigation.
With WIN by its side, KEF Robotics is proving that a small, dedicated team from Pittsburgh can not only compete on the global stage but also redefine how drones navigate the skies.
About WIN
The Warfighting Integration Network (WIN) connects academic, small business, and government partners to accelerate defense innovation and technology transition.
Led by Parallax Advanced Research in collaboration with Vertx Partners, WIN is an executed program under the APEX (Academic Partnership Engagement Experiment) umbrella, delivering education, coaching, and connection services for nontraditional innovators nationwide.
WIN’s data-driven approach and community of professionals from both sides of the contracting world reduce barriers to entry for dual-use technologies, ensuring that national security challenges are met with the best of American ingenuity.
While WIN's deepest roots are in its partner states, our mission has no borders. We work with innovators across all 50 states because national security is a national effort, and the next critical technology could come from anywhere.
About Parallax Advanced Research
Parallax Advanced Research is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that tackles global challenges through strategic research and innovation partnerships. With expertise in defense, space, and advanced technology, Parallax supports the entire innovation lifecycle from discovery to transition.
About Vertx Partners
Vertx Partners specializes in building unique networks and creating opportunities for non-traditional innovators. They connect companies to the Department of War by guiding them through acquisition pathways and successful technology transition, focusing on both technology and business readiness.
Are you interested in leveling up your business? WIN may offer the solution. If you’re inspired by what you’ve read about KEF’s successes, reach out to WIN for an initial consultation. We offer a variety of free resources for small businesses looking for strategic partnerships and an “in” into the world of federal contracting. Click the link and start WINning today.
