Merlin Pilot for Commercial Cargo will introduce the company’s autonomy system, which is undergoing a military airworthiness campaign, to the civil sector. [Credit: Merlin Labs]
Key Takeaways:
Merlin Labs is expanding its AI-powered Merlin Pilot autonomy system to commercial cargo aircraft with a new product suite called Condor, building on its existing military applications.
The "takeoff to touchdown" system is aircraft-agnostic, designed to reduce pilot workload, assist with tasks like ATC communication, and address pilot shortages in the growing cargo market.
Merlin is pursuing military airworthiness (e.g., C-130J, KC-135) and FAA Part 25 authorization to integrate the system into a wide range of large, multi-crew civil and military aircraft.
In the not-too-distant future, cargo could be shipped by airplanes that autonomously assist their pilots.
Boston-based Merlin Labs, which is pursuing military airworthiness for its Merlin Pilot autonomy system on U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) C-130J Hercules transporters, said Thursday it will integrate the same system on commercial cargo aircraft.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
