Reliable Robotics announced a new partnership with NASA on Wednesday to collect data from demonstration flights of its automated Cessna 208B Caravan in and around airports. A new contract tasks Reliable Robotics with evaluating remotely piloted operations in airport environments and during contingency scenarios, with findings shared with the FAA and Standards Development Organizations. NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate is sponsoring the effort to help support future uncrewed aircraft systems performance standards.
The flight series will focus on regional air cargo operations in terminal areas where traffic density and air traffic control coordination are key factors. According to Reliable Robotics, the demonstrations will include taxi, takeoff, departure, approach and landing assessments, along with tests involving lost-link procedures, detect-and-avoid maneuvers supported by visual observers and situations with degraded or denied GPS.
A final demonstration, operated under the company’s existing FAA authorizations, is planned with no pilot on board. The aircraft conducted its first uncrewed flight in Nov. 2023.
Reliable said it will compile documentation and data summaries for NASA, FAA and SDO review once testing concludes.
“This testing campaign comes at a unique moment in time, when safety-enhancing aircraft autonomy is rapidly nearing FAA certification and entry into service for regional air cargo and military use cases,” Reliable Robotics CEO and co-founder Robert Rose said.
The company announced a related contract with the U.S. Air Force in August, under which it is to provide the service with another Cessna 208B for testing and operational automated missions overseas.Reliable’s Cessna 208 system includes flight computers, redundant actuators and automated vehicle components designed to support all phases of flight, along with a detect-and-avoid suite incorporating radar, transponder surveillance and an ACAS Xu processor. The work is funded through a Small Business Innovation and Research Phase III contract and follows a recent Space Act Agreement supporting additional NASA simulation activities.
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