Merlin Labs Launches with Autonomous King Air Fleet

Merlin Labs Launches Autonomous Flight System

The genesis of Merlin Labs can be traced back to a near-miss experienced by founder Matt George during flight training in Vermont. He encountered a JetBlue aircraft approaching Burlington airport, an event he described to TechCrunch as deeply “unsettling,” yet profoundly memorable.

Following the acquisition of his initial transportation venture, Bridj, by Transit Systems of Singapore, George began exploring the potential for replicating the advancements occurring in self-governing ground vehicles within the realm of aviation.

Funding and Partnerships

After two and a half years of development, Merlin Labs is now publicly unveiling its operations alongside a partnership involving 55 aircraft with aviation solutions provider Dynamic Aviation.

The company has secured $3.5 million in seed funding and a subsequent $21.5 million in Series A funding. First Round Capital and GV (previously Google Ventures) spearheaded these investment rounds, with further contributions from Floodgate, Harpoon, WTI, Ben Ling, Box Group, Shrug Capital, and Howard Morgan.

Autonomous Flight Testing

Merlin Labs has successfully completed “a couple hundred” fully autonomous missions, encompassing both takeoff and landing procedures, utilizing three generations of its experimental system.

These flight tests have been conducted at a dedicated facility located within the Mojave Air & Space Port. The most recent version, designated Murray, is a few months old.

George characterizes the system as a readily adaptable autonomy kit, capable of integration across diverse aircraft types. Although a human pilot remains on the ground for monitoring and potential emergency intervention, aircraft equipped with Merlin Labs’ technology function independently.

Regulatory Approvals and Future Development

Before the fleet of 55 King Air planes can commence commercial operations, Merlin Labs requires a supplemental type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

While George could not specify a definitive timeline for obtaining this certification, he acknowledged its necessity within the highly regulated and safety-conscious aviation industry.

The company is also working towards certification that will enable direct communication between air traffic controllers and the aircraft. This will utilize natural language processing, allowing the aircraft to interpret spoken instructions and execute them accordingly.

Furthermore, the aircraft will be capable of responding with “a high degree of cognition,” as stated by George.

Air Traffic Control Integration

“Our core belief is that air traffic controllers should interact with these aircraft in the same manner as they do with conventionally piloted planes,” George explained. “There should be no requirement for specialized interfaces; they should be able to communicate directly, request actions, and receive responses.”

Business Model and Vision

Merlin Labs does not intend to operate as an airline or aircraft operator. Instead, the company aims to provide autonomy as a service to entities such as Dynamic Aviation – owner of the largest private King Air fleet – and major logistics companies like UPS and FedEx.

“The trend of automation is pervasive,” George asserted. “The opportunity to automate airspace is crucial for connecting people and establishing a digital infrastructure that spans the globe.”