Reliable Robotics said it automates all phases of aircraft operation, including taxi, takeoff, flying, and landing. | Source: Reliable Robotics
Reliable Robotics signed a $17.4 million deal to supply its autonomous aircraft systems to the United States Air Force. The contract includes the purchase, integration, and test of the Reliable Autonomy System (RAS) onboard a Cessna 208B aircraft.
“Autonomous aircraft are a true force multiplier, enabling every service’s agility concepts—especially Agile Combat Employment (ACE), where success depends on rapid, unpredictable logistics across dispersed hubs,” said General Mike Minihan (Ret.), former Commander of Air Mobility Command. “Reliable’s automation shows how the Air Force is leveraging autonomy not just to reduce risk, but to expand the number and diversity of locations where sustainment can go—directly, securely, and at the tempo required to win.”
The company said its FAA-certifiable technology enables continuous operations at a fraction of the cost compared to legacy systems. By adding autonomous capabilities to proven, type-certified aircraft, the U.S. Air Force hopes operators will realize greater safety, flexibility, and efficiency in the execution of their missions.
The Reliable Autonomy System is designed to integrate large uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into both civilian and military airspaces. The system fully automates aircraft through all phases of operation, including taxi, takeoff, en route, and landing. Reliable’s system is aircraft agnostic and uses multiple layers of redundancy and advanced navigation technology to improve safety and achieve the levels of integrity and reliability necessary for uncrewed flight.
Reliable Robotics builds on previous relationship with U.S. Air Force
This contract is the latest collaboration between Reliable and the Air Force to advance autonomous aviation. The company has worked with the Air Force through a variety of contracts and exercises designed to research, collaborate, develop, and implement autonomy on the Cessna 208B Caravan and KC-135 Stratotanker.
Reliable Robotics also recently announced its work to support the development of the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), the Air Force’s extensible multi-platform and multi-mission autonomy architecture.
“Reliable is taking the first step to redefining military aviation mobility,” said Robert Rose, CEO and co-founder, Reliable Robotics. “This deployment is about bringing a dual-use autonomy system to improve safety and boost operational tempo at scale.”
Founded in 2017, Reliable Robotics said it’s bringing FAA-certifiable autonomy to commercial and defense aviation. The company’s automation system is designed to work on any aircraft, in any airspace, and to directly address the most common causes of aviation incidents. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif.
