Reliable Robotics, a developer of automated flight systems for remotely piloted operations, was awarded an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to retrofit Air Force aircraft with its continuous autopilot system, which is designed to be installed on any model.

The partners will have flexibility under the agreement, which calls for the delivery of an unspecified quantity of services within a fixed window. The Air Force can place orders under the contract, authorizing specific work and the funding that comes with it. The contract will further allow Reliable and AFWERX—the innovation arm of the Air Force—to explore partnerships with other military branches, tailoring the system for additional missions.

According to retired Major General Dr. David O’Brien, senior vice president of government solutions at Reliable, the agreement “signals long-term engagement with the Air Force and provides flexibility for us to further demonstrate our autonomous flight system in operational readiness activities.”

The IDIQ arrangement, which will support the development and deployment of Reliable’s autopilot system, comes less than one week after AFWERX awarded the company $3.6 million under a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI), tightening a relationship that began in 2021 and has since expanded with a series of small business innovation research (SBIR) contracts.

The TACFI will allow Reliable to perform uncrewed cargo missions for the military, building on a pair of Air Force demonstrations it completed earlier this year.

Reliable’s automation system covers all phases of flight from taxi to takeoff to landing, using hardware and software to automate control surfaces and engine controls. It’s designed to prevent controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I)—two of the leading causes of aviation accidents.

Detect and avoid and precision navigation systems help the aircraft understand where it is and where it’s going, while voice and data links enable remote communication. Remote supervisors or onboard safety pilots can communicate with air traffic control and redirect the aircraft to an alternate landing site in the case of inclement weather, for example. According to Reliable, the system is just as reliable as crewed flight.

Some within the Air Force believe autonomy systems like Reliable’s can safely support longer duration missions in “contested environments” more cheaply than its own technology while reducing aircrew needs. The partners are particularly focused on the Indo-Pacific region, where tensions between the U.S. and China are strained over relations with Taiwan.

Lieutenant Colonel Josh Fehd, branch chief of AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime division, called the technology a “mission critical capability.” Autonomy Prime was announced in January and greenlit by Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, after officials “recognized a need,” according to AFWERX.

“This IDIQ contract is driven by demand from Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces and commands that want to employ advanced aircraft automation in their fleets as soon as possible,” said Fehd.

Reliable’s primary testbed aircraft for its system is the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, which in November completed what the company claims was the first remotely piloted cargo flight of that model. The FAA-approved trial lasted about 12 minutes and was remotely operated from a ground control station.

The Caravan was a loan from potential launch customer FedEx, and Reliable is collaborating with Cessna manufacturer Textron Aviation and Textron eAviation to retrofit additional aircraft. The remotely piloted Caravan could enable same- or next-day shipments to locations currently served by piloted models. The company plans to operate a Part 135 airline subsidiary led by former Ameriflight executives.

Reliable has also shared with the Air Force a blueprint to automate the KC-135 Stratotanker, the military’s core aerial refueling aircraft. But according to the company, under the IDIQ agreement, its aircraft-agnostic system could find its way onto other models such as the Cessna 408 SkyCourier. The system is designed to support cargo aircraft with 3,000-plus-pound payloads.

The FAA in February formally accepted the certification requirements for Reliable’s aircraft navigation and autopilot systems, including a means of compliance for testing and analysis. The company claims its full aircraft automation software is the only system of its kind with an FAA-approved project specific certification plan (PSCP), on which the agency signed off last year.

Another autonomous flight developer working with the Air Force, Xwing—which earlier this year was acquired by electric air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation—submitted its PSCP in April 2023. Merlin Labs, meanwhile, has a basis for certification with New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority for its Merlin Pilot system.

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On Thursday, Boston-based Merlin Labs announced it began what it claims is the first test campaign of a certification-ready, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomous flight system. The company’s Merlin Pilot is designed to one day allow small aircraft to fly with no humans on board.

But first, it will need to obtain a supplemental type certificate (STC) from the FAA, awarded by the regulator when a company intends to modify an aircraft from its initial, type-certified design. The STC authorizes the modification and how it will affect the original product.

According to Merlin, the test campaign, which is using a Merlin Pilot-equipped Cessna Grand Caravan 208B, will culminate in an STC that can be extended across other FAA Part 23 aircraft types and classes. That includes the modified Lockheed C-130J Hercules and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker the company is developing for the U.S. Department of Defense.

“This flight test campaign proves the system that we have been developing and testing in simulation and hardware labs on the ground over the past few years,” Matt George, CEO of Merlin, told FLYING. “This is a first for the industry and serves as the flight test platform for the final development and verification of the certified system for the regulatory authority.”

Just Like a Human

In Merlin’s words, Pilot “takes the skills of a human pilot and translates them into software.” The platform-agnostic hardware and software solution will make decisions like a human, the company says, allowing it to fly smoothly even when a mission suffers from turbulence. At first, the system will serve as an AI copilot for reduced-crew operations, with a safety pilot remaining onboard. Eventually, though, the company plans to remove the safety pilot on small aircraft.

Merlin Pilot uses an array of sensors and cameras to understand exactly where an aircraft is and where it’s going. Data is fed into the system after being processed by flight control computers, which send commands to actuators connected to the aircraft. The system’s AutoNav capability can generate alternative routes for a pilot to approve and will assist with emergency descents or precautionary landings.

Unlike competitors such as Joby Aviation’s Xwing and Reliable Robotics, whose systems communicate with air traffic control via a remote supervisor, Merlin digitizes everything. The system is “standalone,” according to George, using natural language processing algorithms to understand commands from a range of accents and voice types and “speak” to ATC. The safety pilot can step in if anything gets lost in translation.

According to Merlin, the system has spent over 800 hours in the air across more than 500 “systems-on” flights, powering five different aircraft types. In addition to the Cessna Caravan, C-130J, and KC-135, it has been integrated on the Beechcraft King Air, de Havilland Twin Otter, Long-EZ, and Cozy Mark IV.

But these certification-ready test flights are a different animal. George referred to the campaign as a “final draft,” explaining that Merlin Pilot is no longer in prototype form. It now includes updated design data, drawings and substantiation reports, custom racks and structures, and compliant wiring, for example.

Meanwhile, the company’s Cessna Caravan—which it affectionately calls “Big Red”—has been converted with a glass cockpit, advanced avionics, new sensors, autopilot, and automated communications system.

“We stripped everything out of this Cessna Caravan and replaced the instrument panel and legacy systems with state-of-the-art modern avionics, the latest display systems, and custom hardware and software for the Merlin Pilot,” said Sherif Ali, chief engineer for Merlin. “This includes an air data computer, inertial navigation system, heading system, radar altimeter, all of which were integrated at an incredibly high level of quality in order to meet certification standards.”

The modified Cessna underwent integration check flights in June followed by functional check flights. Now, Merlin says it is conducting open, inner, and closed looping test flights in California’s Mojave Desert, phasing out human involvement a little bit at a time.

“The first step is system integration and activation of our automatic flight control system,” George told FLYING. “We then will integrate flight guidance, ATC communications, auto throttle, approaches for landing, full landing, and full takeoff. We test each phase to ensure full integration, which will meet the regulatory requirements.”

George said the campaign will culminate in the third quarter with FAA validation. Merlin is certifying the software concurrently with New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which in February awarded the firm the first Part 135 certification basis for an autonomous flight system.

Mission-Critical

The U.S. military, though, is getting the first crack at Merlin Pilot. The Air Force enlisted Merlin in 2022 to test single-pilot C-130J crews and is looking at automating other aircraft such as the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus and Sikorsky UH-60A Blackhawk.

In July, Merlin completed autonomous KC-135 flights at Pittsburgh Air National Guard Base under a contract awarded in February. Further data collection flights were conducted with Air Force pilots in the Stratotanker at MacDill Air Force Base in May.

In June, the company earned a $105 million contract from the U.S. Special Operations Command to build production-ready, reduced-crew capabilities for the C-130J. The contract further provides for the technology to be introduced within the broader special operations forces (SOF) fixed-wing fleet.

“The same foundational system is being used for both our civil and military programs, and the [U.S. Air Force] is an important stakeholder in our civil process,” said George.

The FAA too is interested in what Merlin Pilot can do. In 2023, Merlin completed automated cargo network trials in Alaska backed by agency approval and a $1 million contract.

According to George, the firm “is the most funded company working in this space,” with investments from Google Ventures, Baillie Gifford, Snowpoint Ventures, and First Round Capital. Its 2022 series B funding round raised $105 million. Combined with revenue from defense contracts, the company in George’s view has plenty of cash on hand to fund its certification activities.

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Earlier this month, Joby Aviation and Reliable Robotics operated self-flying Cessna 208B Grand Caravans during the U.S. Air Force’s Agile Flag 24-3 exercise at Mojave Air and Space Port (KMHV) in California. The goal of the five-day campaign was to weigh how the technology could support the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept, which it describes as a “proactive and reactive operational scheme…to increase resiliency and survivability while generating combat power.”

Airmen from the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base (KVAD) in Georgia and 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base (KBAB) in California used technology from Reliable and Joby—which in June acquired autonomous flight provider Xwing—to fly the souped-up Caravan across California and Nevada.

“Previously, we faced a tough choice: either use a cargo aircraft with all the associated expenses or forgo the flight altogether, which created difficult decisions for warfighting commanders,” said Colonel Max Bremer, management officer of the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command Special Access Program. “The return on investment with this technology is significant.”

The Air Force has awarded Reliable, Joby, and Xwing Phase II and III small business innovation research (SBIR) contracts through Autonomy Prime, a technology program within AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm. AFWERX offers a sort of quid pro quo: Manufacturers get a controlled environment where they can perform flight trials and development work, in exchange for early military access to the technology.

Autonomy Prime earlier this year invited both Reliable and Joby to participate in February’s Agile Flag 24-1 exercise.

“We wanted to build on that success by bringing both vendors back for Agile Flag 24-3, which imposes more realistic constraints on the training participants,” said Ian Clowes of AFWERX Prime stakeholder engagement.

Autonomous flight software, in particular, is in high demand.

A Caravan equipped with Reliable or Joby’s technology can taxi, take off, fly up to 1,150 miles, and land with 1,200 pounds of cargo. According to the Air Force, that translates to an operating cost between $1,200 and $1,600 per hour, compared to more than $7,000 for a C-130J Hercules and $20,000 for a C-17A Globemaster.

The autonomous aircraft would be best suited for carrying small cargo, freeing up larger cargo aircraft to transport large parts or weapons.

“Looking ahead, if the Air Force adopts autonomous aircraft for asset transport in forward locations, it will increase sorties and flying hours by reducing delays in aircraft maintenance,” said Staff Sergeant Miguel Sarmiento, aircraft parts store supervisor for the 633rd Logistics Readiness Squadron.

During Agile Flag 24-3, airmen were tasked with deploying fighters to meet a mission objective while contending with “adversary activities” that complicated their goal. For the purposes of the exercise, cargo aircraft had limited ability to deliver the parts needed to keep the fighters flying.

That was no problem for Joby and Reliable, whose technology powered an autonomous Cessna across 47 flights covering more than 6,600 miles while operators watched them from a mobile ground control station. Personnel carried a laptop and satellite communication terminal in a small backpack—no additional infrastructure was needed. Reliable said its flights also included an onboard safety pilot.

“In this exercise scenario, where distance is a significant challenge, this capability is helping us overcome it,” said Colonel Charles Hanson, commander of the 9th Mission Support Group.

Added Captain Mackenzie Thompson, flight commander of the 480th Sortie Generation: “My job is to ensure we have safe and reliable aircraft for the mission. AFWERX has been awesome in helping us transport parts quickly, which has saved us a lot of time and manpower.”

Joby, for example, delivered cargo from Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) to Southern California Logistics Airport (KVCV) in Victorville, California. The company said it flew more than 3,900 miles between nine military bases and public airports, performing a taxi, takeoff, and landing at each site.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the U.S. Air Force as we further develop the suite of technologies that could enable greater automation or full autonomy, first on the Caravan and then on numerous other aircraft types,” said Maxime Gariel, autonomy lead at Joby.

The company added that it plans to use autonomy to speed up the completion of its AFWERX contract and, potentially, open up new contract opportunities.

According to Reliable, Agile Flag 24-1 was supposed to represent the Indo-Pacific region, with some locations separated by hundreds of miles. The company said it transported critical cargo to eight locations on demand, with leadership from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center also in attendance.

“Autonomy in small platforms reduces risk and opens up the ability to land in more places including damaged runways or unimproved surfaces,” said Bremer.

Prior to the exercise, Reliable obtained military airworthiness and flight readiness approvals for expanded operations. The company’s aircraft-agnostic system is the only full aircraft automation software with an FAA-approved certification plan.

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California-based A2Z Drone Delivery on Monday launched a suite of autonomous drone docks—portable or permanent sites where drones can charge and pick up or drop off packages, with no human interaction. Accompanying the firm’s new AirDock offering, which comes in four configurations, is a companion drone specially designed to integrate with the system.

Interestingly, though, customers may choose to directly purchase or lease the technology from A2Z, or they can opt for a drone-network-as-a-service (DNaaS)—essentially, a subscription model tied to a temporary contract.

“While the AirDocks are designed to safely and more easily scale drone operations in a sharable fashion, we also saw an opportunity to lower that financial barrier to entry even further for customers,” Aaron Zhang, cofounder and CEO of A2Z, told FLYING. “Our new drone-network-as-a-service (DNaaS) model is a pathway for customers to get off the ground quickly, without having to make the full upfront capital investment in a network of drone docks and UAVs.”

With the AirDock, drones can fly from dock to dock to autonomously pick up, deliver, or recharge in as little as 30 minutes. The weatherproof modules, designed for both cargo and patrol flights, are elevated to keep sharp propellers away from people.

Customers can deploy a single system or arrange multiple docks in a network, using automated charging to greatly extend the range of their operations. According to A2Z, the technology has no moving parts, allowing it to be deployed at a “fraction of the cost” of more complex systems.

“We’ve seen plenty of drone-in-a-box users struggle with burdensome maintenance on overly complex hardware, so we designed our AirDocks to be ‘solid-state’ with no moving parts to worry about,” said Zhang.

The company will sell AirDocks to drone service providers, enterprise-level operators, and government agencies, who can manage deliveries remotely through a client web-based user interface. Customers can track delivery status, request a pickup, view patrol reports, schedule patrol missions, and view live video feeds.

The AirDock will come in four configurations, each designed to meet a different operational need.

The Portable module can be carried by hand or fold to fit within the trunk of a van or checked airline luggage. The “most cost-effective offering” in the AirDock suite, it can be deployed in minutes and manage multiple drones.

The more rugged Shelter module is designed to house a single drone for extended periods of time, such as overnight or between missions, and can withstand extreme weather conditions. A2Z describes it as a “deploy and forget” option for remote operations where the drone cannot be recovered at the end of the day.

For customers operating many drones or sharing airspace with other providers, the company offers the AirDock Dual and Quad, which can dock and charge two and four drones respectively. These permanent structures are elevated about 20 feet off the ground and use the same foundation and power supply as standard streetlamps. With the Dual or Quad module, multiple customers could share infrastructure in the same high-traffic area.

“A countywide network of AirDocks can simultaneously support first responder drones providing rapid eyes on traffic accidents, while also patrolling protected reservoir waters, and collecting water data samples,” Zhang told FLYING. “At the same time, local drone service providers may leverage the same AirDock network for food delivery.”

The companion drone for the system, the AirDock Edition Longtail, is a version of the company’s commercial drone platform, unveiled last August, that has been modified to integrate with the automatic charging system. The model features a hexacopter airframe that supports an 11-pound payload, cruising at about 650 feet. It can fly in moderate rain or even snow.

The AirDock Edition Longtail can hop between docks to recharge itself and extend missions indefinitely. Its onboard computer includes A2Z’s new autonomous precision landing capability, while a heating system and cell balancing system help to maintain its batteries.

Using ground control station software, operators can preplan drone routes between docks, repeating missions with the touch of a button. Pilots can take over manually at any time.

The drone features a customizable cargo bay that can be fitted for a range of missions including last mile delivery, data collection, infrastructure inspection, and search and rescue. Two models are available at launch. The Longtail Cargo has a range of about 11 nm and comes integrated with A2Z’s winch system, which lowers packages from altitude on a tether. The Longtail Patrol, meanwhile, has a range of 19 nm and includes a thermal camera, LED spotlight, and megaphone.

A2Z got its start manufacturing commercial drone delivery hardware. But with the launch of the AirDock system, the company hopes to offer a drone-network-as-a-service (DNaaS) comprising not just the aircraft but the ecosystem around them.

Enterprise or government agency customers can choose to purchase or lease the technology directly from A2Z or a leasing partner, or they can opt for the DNaaS model, under which A2Z owns and maintains the docks and drones.

Under the latter option, the customer pays a monthly service fee and is responsible for operations. Following a vetting and onboarding process, A2Z will ship the drones and docks, which can be customized with customer branding, and assist with setup. After that, the company would remain on standby to provide operational, technical, and regulatory support.

Contract terms begin at six months but can be extended, with an early termination fee of half of the remaining contract length.

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Joby on Tuesday announced it acquired the autonomy division of Xwing, the developer of autonomous gate-to-gate flight software Superpilot, as it looks ahead to a transition to self-flying air taxi services. The manufacturer plans to initially operate the aircraft with onboard pilots and has a partnership with Delta Air Lines to launch commercial service as early as next year, beginning in New York and Los Angeles.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But the acquisition was paid for with Joby shares and covers “all of Xwing’s existing automation and autonomy technology activities,” the company said.

“The aircraft we are certifying will have a fully qualified pilot on board,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, “but we recognize that a future generation of autonomous aircraft will play an important part in unlocking our vision of making clean and affordable aerial mobility as accessible as possible.”

Like competitors Wisk Aero, the eVTOL subsidiary of Boeing, and Archer Aviation—which in August agreed to make Wisk the exclusive provider of autonomous systems for a future variant of its flagship air taxi—Joby evidently believes autonomy will be key to scaling up its operations.

The manufacturer began exploring pilotless flight in 2021 with the acquisition of radar developer Inras, whose technology it said it would use to develop an onboard sensing and navigation system.

One problem the eVTOL industry faces is a lack of powered-lift pilots, for which the FAA is working to develop a training and certification pathway. In the short term, autonomy could take on more flight functions, akin to autopilot technology on commercial airliners, to allow operations with smaller crews. Further out, it could allow Joby to remove the pilot from its aircraft entirely.

Wisk argues that the technology will further make operations safer and more affordable for passengers. That’s important, because eVTOL manufacturers, including Joby and Archer, claim their air taxi services will be cost-competitive with ground-based rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft.

Additionally, Joby said Xwing’s Superpilot will help it fulfill obligations for the U.S. Department of Defense, through which it is under contract with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. The manufacturer has so far committed to four deliveries out of a total of nine air taxi orders—two each to Edwards Air Force Base in California and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida—delivering one to Edwards.

Joby in March estimated that the agreement has a total contract value of $163 million but on Tuesday said Xwing’s technology gives it room for growth.

“Autonomous systems are increasingly prolific in the private sector and bring potentially game-changing advantages to the Air Force as well,” said Colonel Elliott Leigh, director of AFWERX and chief commercialization officer for the Air Force. “We created Autonomy Prime to keep up with this shift and to stay engaged as a partner while this technology evolves so that we can adapt and evolve along with the private sector, maintaining our competitive advantage.”

Rather than develop autonomous software in-house, as it does for most of its aircraft’s components and systems, Joby will instead adopt the technology Xwing has been building since its founding in 2016.

A platform-agnostic system, Superpilot uses AI and machine learning algorithms to automate a range of tasks such as vision system processing, detect and avoid, decision making, and mission management, including route planning and live updates.

The system integrates into type-certified aircraft and is designed to change the role and location of the pilot, enabling remote supervision from a ground control station within the existing air traffic control system. However, Xwing on its website says the technology “is applicable to and will improve safety in both piloted and autonomous aircraft.”

Xwing began flying Superpilot-equipped aircraft in 2020 and has since completed more than 250 autonomous flights and 500 autolandings using a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan. Since 2021, it has operated a Part 135 air carrier business, flying 400 feeder cargo flights per week for UPS. Through a nonexclusive agreement with Cessna manufacturer Textron Aviation, the company intends to retrofit more small cargo aircraft, beginning with the Grand Caravan.

Last year, Superpilot became the first standard category large uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to receive an official FAA project designation, initiating the process for it to be approved for commercial cargo operations in U.S. national airspace. Under a three-year contract with NASA, Xwing is allowing researchers to study the technology and develop a safety management system (SMS) to integrate routine, pilotless flights alongside conventional aircraft.

In May 2023, the Air Force committed to exploring Superpilot for defense applications through a 21-month flight trial awarded by AFWERX. It must like what it’s seen so far, because less than a year into the partnership, it granted military airworthiness to Xwing’s modified Cessna, allowing it to begin performing cargo missions in unrestricted airspace. In February, the aircraft completed the Air Force’s first autonomous logistics mission.

Joby on Tuesday said Xwing engineers, researchers and technologists will join the manufacturer to seek out new technology development partnerships with the DOD. The department is eyeing autonomous cargo aircraft as a way to take human pilots out of potentially dangerous scenarios.

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Over the course of two flights on May 15 and 16 at MacDill Air Force Base (KMCF) in Florida, engineers gathered data that will inform the development of the company’s autonomous flight system, Merlin Pilot. Intended to reduce the workload of pilots amid the ongoing pilot shortage—but not replace them, at least in the short term—the technology has also drawn the attention of government agencies, including the Air Force.

Merlin engineers observed Air Force pilots as they performed various tasks and maneuvers. The goal of the campaign was to identify areas where automation could be most useful for safety, efficiency, and cost savings. Teams gathered data on pilot priorities, for example, to implement automation in a way that could allow pilots to focus on the most critical tasks.

“The data collected during these flights is critical to our phased approach to autonomy, starting with reduced crew operations, and to materially evolving our advanced automation systems,” said Matt George, CEO of Merlin. “Being able to observe multiple aerial refueling flights and see exactly how pilots are focused on critical tasks like take-off, landing, and communications in operational military use cases has given us valuable insight.”

Physical assessments, observations, and crew interviews were conducted to determine how certain KC-135 operations could be integrated into the autonomous system.

The data will further be used to support a contract between Merlin, the Air Force, Air Mobility Command (AMC), and Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) to design, integrate, test, and perform in-flight demos of Merlin Pilot on the aerial refueling tanker. The Air Force previously enlisted Merlin to explore reduced crew capabilities for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules and is looking to automate other aircraft, such as the KC-46A Pegasus and UH-60A Blackhawk.

The FAA has also shown interest in Merlin, awarding it a $1 million contract for automated cargo network flight trials in Alaska, which the company completed successfully in July. Other aircraft that have been equipped with Merlin Pilot include the Beechcraft King Air, de Havilland Twin Otter, Cessna Caravan, Long-EZ, and Cozy Mark IV.

Merlin is seeking supplemental type certification from the FAA and has already obtained a Part 135 air operator certificate from New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority, which covers air operations for helicopters and small airplanes.

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Chinese eVTOL manufacturer EHang on Monday said its self-flying EH216-S completed an inaugural passenger-carrying demonstration flight in the Middle East, marking just the second time such an aircraft has flown human passengers. EHang’s EH216-F for high-rise firefighting and EH216-L for aerial logistics—which together with the company’s autonomous air taxi comprise the EH family of aircraft—also made debut flights in the region.

The landmark flights, approved by the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), took place at the Emirates Falcons Aviation Club in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of government officials, civil aviation authorities, and even members of the Emirati royal families.

The EH216-S completed the world’s first passenger-carrying eVTOL demonstration in China in December, the same month EHang committed to a UAE expansion. The air taxi is the first of its kind to obtain type, airworthiness, and production certification—which together are considered essential for the launch of commercial eVTOL operations—from a civil aviation authority.

In the U.S., Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and other eVTOL manufacturers are pursuing type certification with the FAA, but none have achieved the milestone so far.

“After securing the approval for passenger-carrying demo flights and conducting the debut flight, we will actively foster collaboration and communication between the GCAA and the Civil Aviation Administration of China [CAAC] to expedite the progress towards commercial flights of our pilotless aircraft in the UAE,” said Huazhi Hu, founder, CEO, and chairman of EHang.

The passenger for EH216-S’s maiden voyage in the Middle East was Mohamed Al Dhaheri, a board member of Multi Level Group (MLG), a fintech conglomerate serving the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“Being part of this historic moment is truly exhilarating,” said Al Dhaheri. “The seamless integration of technology and aviation represents a significant leap forward for our nation, and as an Emirati, I am proud to be a part of it.”

EHang, MLG, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)—the central government authority supporting private sector growth in the Emirate—last month signed a trilateral agreement to incorporate the manufacturer’s aircraft into the UAE’s transportation system at the inaugural DriftX, a two-day conference and showcase in Abu Dhabi.

DriftX was sponsored by both ADIO and Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, a collection of government-supported, state-of-the-art facilities and services within the city dedicated to developing new technologies in air, land, and sea transportation. The event was attended by many high-ranking Emirati officials and royals, including from the ruling Al Nahyan family.

Present on the show floor were aircraft developed by EHang, Archer, Joby, and other manufacturers that have announced plans to fly in the UAE, which is rapidly becoming a hot spot for eVTOL air taxis and other novel aircraft designs. EHang completed several uncrewed demonstration flights at the event, including the debut overseas flight of its long-range VT-30, which is expected to complement the EH216-S’s intracity operations with city-to-city routes.

Like Archer, the Chinese manufacturer is aiming to set up a regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi with the assistance of the ADIO. It will pursue local partners to assist in manufacturing, flight operations, research and development, training and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services.

“ADIO continues to work with leading global players to accelerate the adoption of smart and autonomous vehicles across air, land and sea,” said Badr Al-Olama, director general of the ADIO. “Our collaboration with Multi Level Group, and air mobility leaders such as EHang, will play a key role in driving Abu Dhabi’s efforts in promoting eVTOLs.”

On Monday, EHang said it is “actively engaged in the design and establishment of eVTOL vertiports, in swift preparation for launching commercial UAM routes.”

MLG, which specializes in digital transformation and developing emerging technologies, is a subsidiary of EIH Ethmar International Holding, the Abu Dhabi royal-led investment holding company that also owns EHang partner Wings Logistics Hub.

EHang and Wings in December signed a long-term strategic partnership focused on eVTOL certification and operations, marking the Chinese manufacturer’s entry into the Middle East. Wings also agreed to purchase up to 100 EH series aircraft, several of which were on display at DriftX with the company’s branding.

Archer has similar arrangements with operators Falcon Aviation and Air Chateau, while Joby intends to operate its own aircraft.

EHang in December also became a member of Abu Dhabi’s SAVI cluster, joining fellow eVTOL air taxi manufacturers Archer and Joby. In addition to research and development facilities, the company says SAVI will provide it access to “existing infrastructure within Abu Dhabi for testing and certification, large scale workshops, hangars, and manufacturing facilities,” it says.

SAVI and other UAE government initiatives, such as the Integrated Transport Center (ITC) within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport, are part of a massive push by the country to become the leader in advanced air mobility (AAM) tech.

Abdulla Al Marzouqi, director general of the ITC, told FLYING at DriftX that the UAE’s financial and investment ecosystem, clear environmental policies, and existing and planned infrastructure, such as vertiports, are key factors that make the region a prime market for AAM.

Beyond eVTOL air taxis, the country is also looking to introduce novel designs such as electric seagliders and electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.

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Last week, Kendall got in the cockpit of a self-flying fighter plane during a historic flight at Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) in California. The aircraft—called the X-62A Variable In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft, or VISTA for short—is a modified F-16 testbed and represents the Air Force’s first foray into aircraft flown entirely by machine learning AI models.

As Kendall and a safety pilot observed, the X-62A completed “a variety of tactical maneuvers utilizing live agents” during a series of test runs. Incredibly, the aircraft was able to simulate aerial dogfighting in real time, without Kendall or the safety pilot ever touching the controls. According to the Associated Press, VISTA flew at more than 550 mph and within 1,000 feet of its opponent—a crewed F-16—during the hourlong simulated battle.

“Before the flight, there was no shortage of questions from teammates and family about flying in this aircraft,” Kendall said. “For me, there was no apprehension, even as the X-62 began to maneuver aggressively against the hostile fighter aircraft.”

It wasn’t VISTA’s first rodeo. In September, the Air Force for the first time flew the uncrewed aircraft in a simulated dogfight versus a piloted F-16 at the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards. The department said autonomous demonstrations are continuing at the base through 2024. But Kendall’s decision to get into the cockpit himself represents a new vote of confidence from Air Force leadership.

“The potential for autonomous air-to-air combat has been imaginable for decades, but the reality has remained a distant dream up until now,” said Kendall. “In 2023, the X-62A broke one of the most significant barriers in combat aviation. This is a transformational moment, all made possible by breakthrough accomplishments of the ACE team.”

ACE stands for Air Combat Evolution, a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program that seeks to team human pilots with AI and machine-learning systems. The Air Force, an ACE participant, believes the technology could complement or supplement pilots even in complex and potentially dangerous scenarios—such as close-quarters dogfighting.

“AI is really taking the most capable technology you have, putting it together, and using it on problems that previously had to be solved through human decision-making,” said Kendall. “It’s automation of those decisions and it’s very specific.”

ACE developed VISTA in 2020, imbuing it with the unique ability to simulate another aircraft’s flying characteristics. The aircraft received an upgrade in 2022, turning it into a test vehicle for the Air Force’s AI experiments. 

VISTA uses machine learning-based AI agents to test maneuvers and capabilities in real time. These contrast with the heuristic or rules-based AI systems seen on many commercial and military aircraft, which are designed to be predictable and repeatable. Machine learning AI systems, despite being less predictable, are more adept at analyzing complex scenarios on the fly.

“Think of a simulator laboratory that you would have at a research facility,” said Bill Gray, chief test pilot at the Test Pilot School, which leads program management for VISTA. “We have taken that entire simulator laboratory and crammed it into an F-16, and that is VISTA.”

Using machine learning, VISTA picks up on maneuvers in a simulator before applying them to the real world, repeating the process to train itself. DARPA called the aircraft’s first human-AI dogfight in September “a fundamental paradigm shift,” likening it to the inception of AI computers that can defeat human opponents in a game of chess.

Since that maiden voyage, VISTA has completed a few dozen similar demonstrations, advancing to the point that it can actually defeat human pilots in air combat. The technology is not quite ready for actual battle. But the Air Force-led Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and Next Generation Air Dominance programs are developing thousands of uncrewed aircraft for that purpose, the first of which may be operational by 2028.

The goal of these initiatives is to reduce costs and take humans out of situations where AI could perform equally as well. Some aircraft may even be commanded by crewed fighter jets. The self-flying systems could serve hundreds of different purposes, according to Kendall.

Even within ACE, dogfighting is viewed as only one use case. The idea is that if AI can successfully operate in one of the most dangerous settings in combat, human pilots could trust it to handle other, less dangerous maneuvers. Related U.S. military projects, such as the recently announced Replicator initiative, are exploring AI applications in other aircraft, like drones.

However, autonomous weapons, such as AI-controlled combat aircraft, have raised concerns from various nations, scientists, and humanitarian groups. Even the U.S. Army itself acknowledged the risks of the technology in a 2017 report published in the Army University Press.

“Autonomous weapons systems will find it very hard to determine who is a civilian and who is a combatant, which is difficult even for humans,” researchers wrote. “Allowing AI to make decisions about targeting will most likely result in civilian casualties and unacceptable collateral damage.”

The report further raised concerns about accountability for AI-determined strikes, pointing out that it would be difficult for observers to assign blame to a single human.

The Air Force has countered that AI-controlled aircraft will always have at least some level of human oversight. It also argues that developing the technology is necessary to keep pace with rival militaries designing similar systems, which could be devastating to U.S. airmen.

Notably, China too is developing AI-controlled fighter jets. In March 2023, Chinese military researchers reportedly conducted their own human-AI dogfight, but the human-controlled aircraft was piloted remotely from the ground.

Leading U.S. defense officials in recent years have sounded the alarm on China’s People’s Liberation Army’s growing capabilities, characterizing it as the U.S. military’s biggest “pacing challenge.” The country’s AI flight capabilities are thought to be behind those of the U.S. But fears persist that it may soon catch up.

“In the not too distant future, there will be two types of Air Forces—those who incorporate this technology into their aircraft and those who do not and fall victim to those who do,” said Kendall. “We are in a race—we must keep running, and I am confident we will do so.”

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The company last week announced that the FAA confirmed its Eiger drone to be compliant with the regulator’s Remote ID rule, a key step toward expanding operations in the U.S. to go beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the operator.

RigiTech’s U.S. customers—which include medical drone delivery operator Spright, a subsidiary of helicopter operator Air Methods—could leverage the approval to commence BVLOS operations with a waiver from the FAA.

“Achieving this approval is a crucial milestone for RigiTech and the drone community at large, propelling us towards more complex and beneficial drone operations,” said David Rovira, co-founder and chief business officer of RigiTech. “We are committed to continuing our work with the FAA and other stakeholders to ensure a safe, secure, and innovative future for drone technology.”

BVLOS flights are considered some of the highest-risk operations in the drone delivery industry due to the lack of human oversight, since they take place where the operator cannot see them. In lieu of a final rule regulating BVLOS operations, the FAA approves them on a case-by-case basis using waivers.

However, many industry stakeholders are pushing for a more reliable system. Doing away with the human oversight requirement would expand—in some cases significantly—the area that drone delivery companies can serve, allowing them to attract more customers.

Remote ID is one of the ways the industry can reduce its reliance on human operators. It is essentially a digital license plate for drones, broadcasting live information such as a unique identification number, location, altitude, and velocity over a 2-3-mile radius. That information can be used by law enforcement, the FAA, or other federal agencies to monitor flights and ground unsafe drones.

The FAA’s Remote ID rule took full effect in March, requiring all agency-registered drones to be flown with broadcast capabilities installed either during or after manufacturing. 

Most manufacturers began producing remote ID-compliant drones in September 2022, according to the regulator. But a company can retrofit its aircraft to broadcast remote ID with technology such as a beacon. RigiTech says Eiger is compliant with the FAA’s standard remote ID requirements, meaning the drone is produced with broadcast capabilities already built in.

For a drone, Eiger is quite durable. The aircraft has a range of about 62 sm (54 nm) and payload of 6.6 pounds, capable of flying during daytime or nighttime and in winds as fast as 33 mph (28 knots). A temperature-controlled cargo hold allows it to carry medical and humanitarian payloads such as blood or vaccines.

Working behind the scenes is RigiTech’s RigiCloud software, which enables autonomous and remote Eiger flights—another key tenet of BVLOS operations. RigiCloud provides real-time flight tracking and creates preprogrammed routes in compliance with aviation regulatory authorities across Europe. The software even tracks drone maintenance and operator credentials to help customers avoid run-ins with regulators.

In July, RigiTech conducted successful tests of Eiger’s prototype precision dropping system, flying spare parts to Anholt Offshore Wind Farm 20 sm (17 nm) off the coast of Denmark. The system, an optional add-on to the drone, autonomously releases cargo from a few feet in the air when RigiCloud detects the drone has reached its destination. The tests were monitored remotely from the Danish capital of Copenhagen, 83 sm (72 nm) away.

In October, the State University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) became the first U.S. company to conduct a domestic flight with Eiger. RigiTech has also received a handful of Eiger orders from Spright, beginning delivery of the first six systems in May.

According to the company, its systems have been approved for and flown BVLOS operations on five continents. Outside the U.S., it has laid the groundwork for initial service or begun flying in its home country of Switzerland, France, Greece, South Korea, and Uruguay. In February, RigiTech added Dutch drone operator Medical Drone Service as a customer to launch healthcare deliveries in the Netherlands.

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Kendall said the flight is intended to allow him to observe the technology underlying the Air Force’s future fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which will pair crewed jets with fleets of tiny, buzzing, autonomous drones. A second pilot will join the Air Force secretary, but neither will actually fly the aircraft—a modified F-16—except in case of emergency.

The U.S. is investing plenty of money into the CCA. According to the Associated Press, the Air Force requested $559 million in its upcoming budget to support the program, out of a total budget request of $188.1 billion. The department’s 2025 fiscal year begins October 1. For the 2024 defense spending bill, the U.S. Department of Defense requested $1.8 billion worth of artificial intelligence investments.

“We have a cost problem with the aircraft that we’re buying now,” Kendall said in response to a question from Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, during a hearing for the Air Force and Space Force fiscal year 2025 budget request. “Our fighters are very expensive. The F-35 and the F-15EX cost about $100 million each, NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) will cost over $300 million and will be bought in small numbers.

“The uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft give us an opportunity to address the cost and the quantity issues with relatively inexpensive but very highly cost-effective platforms that we add to the fleet.”

The Air Force earlier this month welcomed three F-16s to Eglin Air Force Base (KVPS) in Florida, where they will be modified for autonomous testing. The modifications are part of the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model-Autonomy Flying Testbed program, or VENOM-AFT, which supports CCA with funding for autonomous software testing on crewed and uncrewed aircraft.

VENOM-AFT testing will be performed by the Air Force’s 40th Flight Test Squadron and 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron. Personnel will monitor the autonomy system during flight and provide feedback.

Additionally, the Air Force Research Laboratory this month received a $4 million grant to build an AI and machine learning research center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (KFFO) in Ohio.

Kendall’s comments on Tuesday come amid the backdrop of China’s rising military might, particularly in the air.

Drones manufactured in China have been spotted on the battlefield in Eastern Europe and the Levant, where they have inflicted devastating attacks on troops, infrastructure, and civilians. Chinese manufacturer DJI is considered the largest seller of consumer drones. But many cheaply bought DJI products have been modified for use in combat, prompting wariness among U.S. lawmakers.

Kendall urged senators to modernize the department’s technology, warning that any further budget delays could give China a leg up. The budget for the current fiscal year was enacted in March, more than six months later than intended.

“Time matters, but so do resources,” Kendall said. “The United States is also now facing a competitor with national purchasing power that exceeds our own, a challenge we have never faced in modern times.”

Beyond the CCA, the DOD is also building up an army of “small, smart, cheap” drones through the Replicator initiative, announced by Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks in August.

According to Hicks and other senior officials, the plan is to produce “multiple thousands” of systems that are attritable, meaning they could be lost or shot down with minimal impact to U.S. military capabilities. These drones would be ideal for high-risk operations in which the chance of a crash or takedown is likely.

Hicks said the objective is to “outmatch” China. But William LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, clarified that Replicator systems will be distinct from CCA aircraft. However, LaPlante added that Replicator drones could be “very complementary” to the CCA initiative.

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