What Happened
Boston Startup Clears Regulatory Hurdle for Autonomous Cargo Flights
Merlin Labs has received approval from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority for its certification plan for an autonomous flight system. The system, which automates flight tasks normally handled by pilots, is intended for use on the Cessna 208B Caravan, a single-engine turboprop widely used for regional cargo and passenger flights. The approval is a significant step towards the deployment of autonomous cargo flights in New Zealand, and Merlin Labs plans to use the lessons learned from this program to support certification efforts with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This development was first reported by AeroXplorer.com.