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Merlin Developing Autonomous Flight Tech With Air Force Pilot Input

Company engineers observed pilots as they performed a variety of tasks, collecting data to identify where automation can be most helpful.

Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 03:05 PM ET

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Merlin engineers Josie Cater, Nick Lepore, and Carl Pankok stand in front of a modified U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker. [Courtesy: Merlin Labs]

Key Takeaways:

Merlin Labs engineers recently conducted observation flights with U.S. Air Force pilots in a KC-135 Stratotanker to gather data for their Merlin Pilot autonomous flight system.
The Merlin Pilot technology aims to reduce pilot workload, enhance safety and efficiency, and address the ongoing pilot shortage, rather than immediately replace human pilots.
The collected data will support the development and in-flight demonstrations of Merlin Pilot on the KC-135 under an existing contract with the Air Force.
Merlin's autonomous systems have garnered interest from the U.S. Air Force for various aircraft and from the FAA for automated cargo flight trials, with successful trials already completed.

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This month, engineers from Boston-based Merlin Labs, the developer of a platform-agnostic, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy system for fixed-wing aircraft, joined U.S. Air Force pilots in the cockpit of a KC-135 Stratotanker.

Over the course of two flights on May 15 and 16 at MacDill Air Force Base (KMCF) in Florida, engineers gathered data that will inform the development of the company’s autonomous flight system, Merlin Pilot. Intended to reduce the workload of pilots amid the ongoing pilot shortage—but not replace them, at least in the short term—the technology has also drawn the attention of government agencies, including the Air Force.

Jack Daleo

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.