The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded Merlin a $1 million contract to demonstrate a highly automated flight control system in conjunction with a safety pilot.
Merlin, a "developer of safe autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft", said the FAA designated the University of Alaska Fairbanks UAS Test Site as the location for the tests, which will be undertaken in the second quarter of 2023 with Everts, an air cargo carrier.
"Alaska’s terrain and inclement weather can challenge the most experienced pilots. And yet remote communities rely on air cargo deliveries for vital supplies such as milk, mail, and medicine. Working with Merlin on these flight trials benefits our residents and provides data with each flight that will create not only a safer airspace in Alaska but technology that is applicable worldwide," said Cathy Cahill, director of the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI) at the UAF Geophysical Institute.
The FAA deal came after Merlin in 2022 announced $105 million in Series B financing, along with key partnerships with the United States Air Force, the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, and the FAA.
"The funding has allowed Merlin to continue developing its integrated hardware and software solution known as the Merlin Pilot," the company said.
"The Merlin Pilot is being developed to make the skies safer and more accessible. These initial flight trials are vital to maturing our in-flight capabilities and it’s rewarding that this work will also serve a material need in the communities of Alaska," said Matthew George, co-founder and chief executive of Merlin.