Reliable Robotics Completes First Autonomous Flights at Albuquerque Sunport in FAA Advanced Air Mobility Pilot Program
Why It MattersAutonomous cargo aviation is moving from closed testing toward live airports with mixed civil and military traffic, pending certification of the system for commercial use.
Reliable Robotics and Albuquerque International Sunport have completed a two-day flight campaign using a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan equipped with the Reliable Autonomy System (RAS). The aircraft demonstrated automated taxiing, takeoff and landing while operating alongside conventional civilian and military air traffic in the airport's Class C airspace. The demonstrations also covered remote flight supervision, communication with air traffic control and integration with existing airport operations.
The aircraft was supervised by an onboard safety pilot and by a remote pilot at Reliable Robotics' headquarters in Mountain View, California, more than 700 miles away. The City of Albuquerque Aviation Department is one of eight designated participants in the FAA's eIPP initiative and is partnering with Reliable Robotics to evaluate autonomous aviation capabilities. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said every test flight provides critical data for building a system that strengthens the nation's infrastructure and connects communities.
RAS is designed to automate aircraft operations from departure through arrival, including ground movement and flight, and Reliable Robotics says the technology is aircraft-agnostic. The company is working with the FAA to certify the system for future commercial operations in the United States. Through the eIPP, Reliable Robotics and the City of Albuquerque plan to demonstrate autonomous regional cargo connections across the Four Corners region, with Reliable Airlines, a subsidiary of Reliable Robotics, expected to conduct the operations. The Caravan can carry approximately 1,000 pounds of cargo over distances exceeding 1,000 nautical miles.
