About Guide Air Labs
Since December 2022, GUIDE AIR Labs has continued to innovate in drone navigation technology, introducing advanced sensor fusion and machine learning solutions tailored for various industries. These developments have solidified FusionFlight's position as a leader in enhancing operational efficiency and safety through cutting-edge technological advancements.
December 2022
Founded Fusion Flight to develop a proof of theory design
November 2023
Attained funding from UW CoMotion
March 2024
Received Best Applied Research Award sponsored by The Boeing Company
February 2025
Secured funding and completed NSF National iCore Winter 2025 cohort
March 2025
Received Best Commercialization award from Madrona and Best Impact award from Microsoft
December 2025
Global AI for Humanity Innovation Challenge: Excellent Award
January 2026
Phase 1 funding from the Washington Research Foundation for maritime applications
April 2026
Accepted into Rice University's Rice Business Plan Comptetition
Core Team
We are a diverse, multidisciplinary team bridging academia and industry to deliver deployable precision navigation.
Gokul Nathan
CEO and Co-founder
Gokul Nathan is a Ph.D. candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington and the original inventor of the Fusion Flight navigation algorithm. His research focuses on machine learning, control systems, and sensor fusion for aerospace autonomy, and he has led development from algorithm design through integrated prototype validation. He has also driven early commercialization through NSF I-Corps customer discovery and secured initial funding to advance the technology.
Sep Makhsous
CTO and Co-founder
Dr. Sep Makhsous is an Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Washington with a Ph.D. in ECE and an MBA in Technology Commercialization. With over a decade of experience in embedded systems, robotics, and controls; including collaborations with NASA and the U.S. Air Force, he leads system architecture, sensor integration, and low-SWaP optimization for Fusion Flight. He ensures technical execution aligns with certification pathways and scalable commercialization.
Ernst Anderson
CPO
Ernst Anderson is a Master’s candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington focused on UAV hardware systems. He led adaptation of the Fusion Flight prototype for sub-250-gram drone platforms, translating advanced navigation algorithms into deployable embedded hardware. He also supports customer discovery and product definition to align system design with real-world integration requirements.
Shawn Chen
Senior Hardware Engineer
Shawn Chan is a Master’s candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington with prior engineering experience at Boeing and Intel. He leads embedded implementation of the Fusion Flight navigation stack, ensuring real-time performance and reliable hardware-software integration. His background in aerospace and semiconductor environments supports disciplined system validation and integration readiness.
Advisors
Tom Boyer
Industry Advisor
Tom Boyer brings over 20 years of leadership experience scaling aerospace and defense technology companies. He has led go-to-market strategy for advanced sensor, communications, and AI systems serving major primes including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. At Fusion Flight, he guides customer validation, regulatory navigation, and commercialization strategy within defense markets.
