Merlin Advances Flight Testing of Certification-Ready Aircraft
Merlin, a pioneering developer of high-assurance autonomous flight systems for fixed-wing aircraft, announced significant progress in the flight testing of its certification-ready Cessna Caravan equipped with the Merlin Pilot system. The company’s ongoing test campaign, taking place at Quonset State Airport in Rhode Island, is demonstrating the system’s maturity and its readiness to support both commercial and military aviation applications.
This latest phase of flight testing represents a critical milestone in Merlin’s path toward Supplemental Type Certification (STC) and full-scale deployment of its autonomous flight technology. Conducted under real-world conditions, these tests are validating core functionality and system integration, setting the foundation for future complex autonomous operations across a range of aircraft platforms, including high-performance military models such as the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules and the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Merlin Pilot Reaches New Milestones in Autonomy and Reliability
The Merlin Pilot system is a suite of autonomy-enabling technologies designed to support safety-critical flight operations with minimal human intervention. Key components include advanced Flight Guidance systems and an integrated Autothrottle function—both of which are essential for precision flight path control and optimized engine performance. These features are particularly crucial for fixed-wing aircraft, where maintaining stable airspeed, altitude, and heading across all flight phases directly impacts safety, efficiency, and mission success.
During the most recent testing sequences, Merlin validated the Flight Guidance module’s ability to seamlessly manage aircraft trajectory and speed across multiple flight regimes. The system provides accurate lateral and vertical navigation data while adapting to real-time atmospheric and performance conditions, significantly reducing pilot workload. Simultaneously, the Autothrottle component demonstrated its capacity to dynamically adjust engine thrust in response to airspeed targets, coordinating with the Flight Guidance module to deliver smooth, consistent, and efficient speed control throughout all stages of flight.
“These functionalities are the backbone of our autonomy stack,” explained Merlin’s CEO and founder, Matt George. “They are not just features—they are assurances. The performance of Flight Guidance and Autothrottle in live flight conditions confirms our platform’s ability to make intelligent, safe decisions in the air, even under complex scenarios.”
From R&D to Certification: A Strategic Shift in Focus
Merlin officially launched its flight test campaign in June 2024, marking the transition from a research and development-focused phase to one centered on certification and deployment. The initial test flight featured a systems-on evaluation of the Merlin Pilot installed in a Cessna 208 Caravan, accompanied by a human safety pilot to oversee the autonomous system’s behavior in a live environment.
Since then, Merlin has conducted a growing series of test flights, each designed to incrementally expand the system’s operational envelope while refining software algorithms and hardware interfaces. These tests not only validate autonomous functionality but also assess integration with existing avionics and flight control systems—critical steps in meeting regulatory certification standards.
As the Merlin Pilot advances, the system is evolving to support a broader set of autonomous features. Future test phases are expected to include intelligent decision-making capabilities such as emergency rerouting, autonomous landing in degraded visual conditions, and obstacle avoidance using sensor fusion and machine learning algorithms. These advancements are essential for applications in both civilian and defense aviation sectors.
“This campaign is a reflection of our deliberate approach,” George added. “Each test is carefully designed to demonstrate high-assurance autonomy that meets the stringent requirements of the FAA and military stakeholders. We’re proving not just that autonomous flight is possible, but that it can be certified, trusted, and deployed at scale.”
FAA and U.S. Air Force Endorsements Strengthen Merlin’s Position
Supporting Merlin’s progress is a growing framework of regulatory and military acceptance. The company recently achieved two major regulatory milestones: approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its custom-designed Remote Data Concentrator (RDC), and acceptance by the United States Air Force (USAF) of Merlin’s airworthiness plan for testing on the KC-135 platform.
The RDC functions as a critical data aggregator within the autonomy architecture, ensuring that information from a wide array of sensors, avionics, and aircraft subsystems is collected, processed, and transmitted in real-time with high reliability. FAA approval of this component represents a foundational validation of Merlin’s avionics design philosophy, focused on redundancy, fault tolerance, and fail-operational resilience.
The USAF’s acceptance of Merlin’s airworthiness plan paves the way for flight testing on the KC-135—a military aerial refueling aircraft that requires precise handling and situational awareness during high-stakes missions. Testing on such platforms signals strong confidence in Merlin’s ability to scale its autonomous solutions from smaller commercial aircraft to large, mission-critical defense assets.
Bridging Commercial and Military Use Cases
Merlin’s dual-use strategy positions it uniquely in the aviation autonomy landscape. While the company’s initial certification efforts are focused on the Cessna Caravan—a staple aircraft for regional cargo and passenger service—its underlying autonomy platform is designed with scalability and adaptability in mind. By targeting aircraft such as the C-130J and KC-135, Merlin is demonstrating that its system architecture can address a wide range of operational requirements, from commercial logistics to national defense.
This flexibility is central to Merlin’s value proposition. The company’s autonomy platform is modular, allowing for straightforward adaptation to different aircraft configurations and mission profiles. This adaptability not only accelerates deployment across fleets but also enhances safety by providing a consistent, validated decision-making framework irrespective of aircraft type.
A Vision for the Future of Autonomous Aviation
Looking ahead, Merlin envisions a phased rollout of autonomous capabilities, beginning with pilot-assist features that augment crew operations and gradually transitioning to fully autonomous flight in specific use cases. This measured approach aligns with regulatory expectations and supports stakeholder confidence, while laying the groundwork for transformative changes in aviation logistics, search and rescue operations, humanitarian aid delivery, and military mission support.
Merlin’s approach also emphasizes collaboration, working closely with government agencies, regulators, and aircraft OEMs to ensure its solutions meet or exceed current aviation standards. The company’s commitment to transparency and certification rigor has attracted attention from both civil aviation authorities and defense organizations, further accelerating its momentum.
“Safe, autonomous flight isn’t a future fantasy—it’s a current reality that’s being proven in the skies above Rhode Island right now,” said George. “With each test flight, we’re closer to a future where autonomous systems enhance safety, reduce operational costs, and expand access to aviation in meaningful ways.”
As Merlin continues its rigorous flight test campaign, the company is steadily advancing toward a new era in aviation—one where autonomy supports not only operational efficiency but also strategic readiness. With validated system functionality, regulatory milestones achieved, and military partnerships strengthening, Merlin stands at the forefront of a shift in how the world thinks about flight.
From the skies over Rhode Island to the flight decks of military airfields, the Merlin Pilot system is redefining what’s possible in fixed-wing autonomous aviation. And with certification now within reach, the horizon for autonomous flight has never looked closer.