Photo: Reliable Robotics
We can no longer picture a future for the automotive industry where automation doesn’t play a huge role. And the trend is growing fast in the maritime and aviation industries as well. When it comes to flying vehicles, not all bets are on eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing).
When speaking of autonomous aircraft, electric air taxis are the first thing that comes to mind. But even conventional aircraft can gain the ability to pilot themselves if they’re fitted with adequate technology. This is what Reliable Robotics, a California-based startup, is trying to do, stating that “We believe aircraft should fly themselves.”
It looks like it’s on the right track since it recently announced that the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has approved the certification basis for the company’s “advanced navigation and autoflight system.” The goal is to eventually obtain Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for this system on the Cessna 208 Caravan, one of the most popular cargo aircraft.
Last year, a Cessna 208 Caravan was successfully flown remotely from a control center located at the company’s headquarters, after a smaller Cessna 172 had flown with no pilot onboard. The future STC will confirm the aircraft’s ability to rely on continuous autopilot throughout all phases from takeoff to landing with a pilot onboard for “abnormal procedures.”
The main benefit of this automation system would be enhanced safety. Reliable Robotics claims that remote operations could significantly reduce “Controlled Flight into Terrain,” and “Control Loss,” which are officially the main causes of accidents for small aircraft.
But that’s not all. Remotely-piloted aircraft could have easier access to isolated locations that are typically challenging. This will expand access to multiple locations, including thousands of regional airports across the U.S. that are currently underutilized.
Founded by SpaceX and Tesla veterans, Reliable Robotics is also backed by NASA.
It looks like it’s on the right track since it recently announced that the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has approved the certification basis for the company’s “advanced navigation and autoflight system.” The goal is to eventually obtain Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for this system on the Cessna 208 Caravan, one of the most popular cargo aircraft.
Last year, a Cessna 208 Caravan was successfully flown remotely from a control center located at the company’s headquarters, after a smaller Cessna 172 had flown with no pilot onboard. The future STC will confirm the aircraft’s ability to rely on continuous autopilot throughout all phases from takeoff to landing with a pilot onboard for “abnormal procedures.”
The main benefit of this automation system would be enhanced safety. Reliable Robotics claims that remote operations could significantly reduce “Controlled Flight into Terrain,” and “Control Loss,” which are officially the main causes of accidents for small aircraft.
But that’s not all. Remotely-piloted aircraft could have easier access to isolated locations that are typically challenging. This will expand access to multiple locations, including thousands of regional airports across the U.S. that are currently underutilized.
Founded by SpaceX and Tesla veterans, Reliable Robotics is also backed by NASA.
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