Reliable Robotics, an autonomous aircraft systems pioneer, recently completed a series of automated flight missions across California and Nevada for the Department of the Air Force. Working with Air Combat Command, Reliable demonstrated aircraft automation capabilities during the Agile Flag 24-3 exercise.
The week-long sortie involved transporting cargo between military bases and airports, some hundreds of miles apart, on demand. This exercise simulated the Indo-Pacific region’s demands for agility, readiness, and multi-domain operations.
Colonel Max Bremer, Mobility COE Senior Advisor and Chief of Special Programs Division at Air Mobility Command, stated, “Autonomous operations offer the Air Force a unique chance to boost efficiency.”
“They enable persistent maneuver in contested environments and simultaneous cargo delivery, replacing our current sequential system.”
“Small platform autonomy reduces risk and allows landings in more locations, including damaged runways or unimproved surfaces. Military exercises like Agile Flag let us closely evaluate how autonomous systems perform in real missions.”
Autonomous C208B Operations
The automated flights of a Cessna 208B Caravan included autotaxi, autotakeoff, en-route navigation, and autolanding. Reliable’s remote pilot managed all flights while an onboard pilot monitored.
The company set up a mobile control station at Mojave Air and Space Port, which served as the exercise’s operations base. This rapid deployment allowed onsite demonstrations of remote piloting for Air Force and NASA personnel.
During the exercise, Reliable flew to eight locations, transporting crucial cargo. All flights were expedited and scheduled “on-demand,” without requiring additional infrastructure for automated flight. This demonstrated the added utility and flexibility of automation.
Preparing for the exercise involved obtaining military airworthiness and flight safety approvals from the U.S. Air Force for expanded operations.
NASA Armstrong executive leadership observed Reliable’s Agile Flag operations at Mojave. Brad Flick, Center Director at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, gave his observations.
“We’re impressed by the dual-use automation system Reliable has developed for commercial and defense customers. Their technology’s maturity is evident.”
FAA Certification Progress
Reliable possesses the only FAA-accepted certification plan for full aircraft automation and continues to progress toward certification. Their safety-enhancing automation system features redundancy, high-integrity navigation, and an “always on” autopilot engaged throughout all flight phases.
The system is aircraft-agnostic; Reliable has remotely flown two different airframes uncrewed in civilian airspace: a Cessna 172 in 2019 and a Cessna 208B Caravan in 2023.
Dr. David O’Brien, Major General (Ret.) and Senior Vice President of Government Solutions at Reliable Robotics, said, “We’re honored to participate in military exercises.”
“Agile Flag allowed us to demonstrate how our autonomous flight system benefits defense missions and showcase timely mission readiness. We remain committed to serving and supporting the U.S. Air Force and other military branches.”
Summary
Reliable has now participated in multiple military exercises, including Agile Flag 24-1 earlier this year and Golden Phoenix in 2023. The company has been collaborating with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and AFWERX since 2021.
About Reliable Robotics Founded in 2017, Reliable Robotics aims to bring safe, certified automated flight systems to commercial aviation.
Their system enables remote operation of any aircraft type. Reliable’s goal is to revolutionize air transportation, making it safer, more convenient, and more affordable for both goods and people.
Click the banner to subscribe to our weekly newsleter.
Click the photo to join our WhatsApp channel so then you can stay up to date with everything going on in the aviation industry!
