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Reliable Robotics Advances Pilotless Cargo Aircraft Toward FAA Certification

Reliable Robotics, backed by more than $400 million in funding, is progressing toward FAA certification of autonomous cargo aircraft. The company completed initial demonstration flights last month in Albuquerque, where modified Cessna Caravans taxied alongside commercial traffic and executed instrument approaches under the FAA's eVTOL Integrated Pilot Program. Point-to-point cargo operations between Albuquerque and Santa Fe will launch next year, eventually without pilots on board. The system uses a ground control station where operators input routes via touchscreen, with the aircraft executing flights autonomously. Safety constraints prevent terrain strikes and ensure all flights terminate at designated runways. A ground operator monitors airspace coordination with air traffic control, though the aircraft can operate fully autonomous if communications fail, using onboard radar and collision avoidance protocols.