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. Air Force is set to deploy automated Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft overseas, signing a $17.4 million contract with Reliable Robotics for their autonomy system.
These automated aircraft will enhance airlift and logistics operations in regions like the Indo-Pacific, offering a more cost-effective and higher-cadence solution compared to larger military planes.
Reliable Robotics' aircraft-agnostic autonomy system has military airworthiness approval and is also pursuing commercial certification, signaling a broader adoption of autonomous aviation for both military and civil applications.

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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.