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 Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), enabling future autonomous air freight operations and crucial data collection flights in the country.
New Zealand will serve as a "sandbox" for Merlin's autonomous flight system, with collected data supporting future global product certifications, including with the CAA and FAA.
This achievement, coupled with Merlin's successful FAA-contracted cargo trials and partnerships with the U.S. Air Force, indicates a significant and growing push for autonomous flight by federal agencies.

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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.