Merlin Labs Nabs Part 135 Air Operator Certification in New Zealand

The Boston-based company says the approval puts it on a viable path to certification and commercial operations for Merlin Pilot, its flagship autonomous flight system.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 11:08 AM ET

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Merlin flew an experimental aircraft equipped with its takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy system during FAA-contracted trials in July. [Courtesy: Merlin Labs]

Key Takeaways:

Merlin Labs has obtained Part 135 certification from New Zealand's CAA for future air freight operations, allowing it to conduct critical data collection and leverage the country as a testbed for its autonomous flight system.
This certification marks a significant step towards global product certification for Merlin Pilot, highlighting growing regulatory acceptance by agencies like the CAA, FAA, and U.S. Air Force for autonomous flight.
Merlin Labs has a strong record of progress, including completing FAA-contracted autonomous cargo trials in Alaska and partnering with the U.S. Air Force for demonstrations on military aircraft.
The broader industry indicates a clear trend towards autonomous flight adoption, with other providers also receiving military airworthiness approvals as federal agencies ramp up their pursuit of autonomy.

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Federal agencies are beginning to warm up to the idea of fully or partially automated flight.

Boston-based Merlin Labs—the maker of a platform-agnostic, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy system for fixed-wing aircraft—on Wednesday announced it obtained Part 135 certification from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of New Zealand for future air freight operations in the country. The regulator’s Part 135 covers air operations for helicopters and small airplanes.