Caerphilly-based Twelve Technology is helping to make flying safer and more connected through its SmartSkies aviation platform. With support from the Welsh Government’s Innovation team, the company has developed and tested cutting-edge technology that digitises how flight information is shared across the aviation community - modernising a system that has barely changed in decades.
Focused on general aviation - the private and recreational flying sector that includes small aircraft, airfields and flight training - the company set out to solve a clear challenge. Flying in uncontrolled airspace is still governed by manual, paper-based processes that are no longer fit-for-purpose in an era of drones and unmanned aircraft. Its digital solution provides a secure cloud-based platform that records, stores and shares data in real time, making air travel safer and more efficient for everyone involved.
Mike Walker, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Twelve Technology, said: “General aviation has relied on the same processes for decades. We wanted to create a digital tool that makes life simpler for pilots, while improving safety and transparency for everyone involved in flight operations.”
That vision has been brought to life through targeted Welsh Government innovation funding and business support.
The company received its first SMART Flexible Innovation Support (SFIS) funding of £23,500 in 2022, enabling it to refine and test its digital platform.
Over two years, this support allowed the company to:
- Develop and validate its cloud-based flight data system.
- Overcome complex technical challenges including GPS interference and secure large-scale data storage.
- Build and test mobile and airfield interfaces with early adopters such as Arcus Helicopters in Nottinghamshire and Shobdon Airfield in Herefordshire.
- Work with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS (National Air Traffic Services) to align digital outputs with regulatory requirements.
The flexibility of SFIS allowed the company to experiment, test and evolve the technology based on live user feedback - an essential step in ensuring the system could meet safety standards and scale for national use. The support built on earlier Innovation funding of around £16,000, which helped the company to prove the concept and overcome several key technical challenges during development.
Mike explained: “The support allowed us to take real risks with innovation. It meant we could focus on solving problems that hadn’t been tackled before - the kind of challenges that small teams would normally find too costly or time-consuming to take on.”
The results of the company’s innovation are already evident:
- Its cloud-based platform is now being rolled out to pilots, airfields and training organisations across Wales.
- The company won the Aviation Innovation Award at the Aviation Industry Awards UK 2025.
- It has also secured a Department for Transport TRIG (Connected Places) Grant to develop new drone-specific use cases.
- Plans are underway to expand operations to Swansea Airfield, creating future high-value tech roles in Wales.
Its success highlights the growing role Wales is playing in developing the aviation technologies of the future. By digitising the way flight data is recorded and shared, SmartSkies is supporting safer skies, greener logistics and smarter regulation - helping position Wales as a leader in aerospace innovation.
The company’s work supports the Welsh Government’s Innovation Strategy priorities by contributing to the economy and climate and nature pillars. By developing a digital platform that streamlines flight operations, improves safety and replaces outdated paper-based systems, Twelve Technology is helping to modernise a traditional industry and strengthen Wales’s growing digital economy.
At the same time, its technology reduces paper use and promotes more efficient, digitally connected airfield operations, supporting lower carbon processes across aviation. Together, these advances show how innovation in Wales can drive economic growth while contributing to the nation’s transition to a low-carbon future.
Find out more about how SMART Flexible Innovation Support (FIS) can support your organisation. Visit Business Wales Innovation to learn more.