Air Force to Field Autonomous Cessna Caravan

Branch will test and deploy a Cessna Caravan equipped with Reliable Robotics’ autonomy system.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 01:55 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan equipped with Reliable’s aircraft autonomy system takes part in Air Force exercises in 2024. [Courtesy: Reliable Robotics]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. military plans to deploy automated Cessna 208B Grand Caravans overseas for logistics and airlift operations, backed by a $17.4 million contract with Reliable Robotics.
Reliable Robotics' autonomy system, having received military airworthiness approval, will enable these aircraft to fly autonomously for cost-effective missions, particularly in regions like the Indo-Pacific, offering increased operational cadence.
This initiative accelerates the Air Force's shift towards advanced autonomous aviation, with the versatile system also pursuing commercial certification and potential integration into larger military aircraft.

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The U.S. military is planning to send an automated Cessna 208B Grand Caravan on real-world, overseas deployments.

The U.S. Air Force signed a $17.4 million contract that includes the purchase of Reliable Robotics’ aircraft autonomy system, the company announced Tuesday. The agreement covers integration, testing, and operational missions aboard the popular single-engine turboprop, which Reliable flew without a pilot on board for the first time in 2023.