Kieran Skelly

Kieran Skelly is a Houston-based entrepreneur and engineer whose career spans drone technology, industrial inspection, and experiential lighting.

A Santa Clara University graduate in UAV Engineering, Skelly built his first drones in a garage — one that burned down in a fire, though the setback only sharpened his drive. He went on to co-found his university's AIAA chapter and pioneer the use of high-resolution cameras on drones for wind turbine inspection, eventually developing one of the first ArduPilot long-distance drone video links.

That breakthrough led him to Skycatch, a VC-backed drone surveying startup, where as Lead Customer Success Manager he trained global teams and traveled to hundreds of sites across 18 countries — bridging Silicon Valley design thinking with the realities of industries like mining.

When the pandemic hit, Skelly turned his engineering instincts toward light, and founded Grid Lights in Houston. His mission: to illuminate hidden truths and, as he puts it, to teach his fellow fish about the water they swim in.