Reliable Robotics 在阿尔伯克基太阳港机场完成自主驾驶的 Cessna Caravan 飞行演示

Reliable Robotics has completed its first autonomous flight campaign at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico, testing automated aircraft operations at a major commercial airport as part of a US federal advanced air mobility programme.

The two-day campaign used a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan equipped with the company’s Reliable Autonomy System (RAS). The aircraft performed automated taxiing, take-off and landing operations in Class C airspace shared by civilian and military traffic.

A remote pilot at Reliable Robotics’ headquarters in Mountain View, California, more than 700 miles away, supervised and commanded the aircraft, communicating with air traffic control. A safety pilot also remained onboard during the flights.

The demonstrations form part of the US Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration’s Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP). Despite its name, the programme also covers autonomous aircraft and other advanced aviation technologies, with the aim of gathering operational data to inform future regulatory requirements.

The City of Albuquerque Aviation Department was selected as one of eight participants in the initiative and is working with Reliable Robotics to explore automated regional cargo services. The Sunport’s mix of commercial and military traffic provides a setting for evaluating how remotely supervised aircraft automation can operate within established airport procedures and controlled airspace.

The programme is intended to progress towards pre-certification cargo operations connecting Albuquerque with Santa Fe Regional Airport in New Mexico and Durango-La Plata County Airport in Colorado. Reliable Airlines, the company’s cargo subsidiary, is expected to operate the planned services.

The routes would target regional freight movements and smaller communities across the Four Corners region. However, the proposed services remain subject to the necessary regulatory and operational requirements.

Reliable’s RAS is designed to automate aircraft operations from gate to gate, including taxiing, take-off, en-route flight management and landing. The company is also developing detect-and-avoid capabilities intended to help its aircraft identify and respond to traffic conflicts.

Data collected during the eIPP campaign will be shared to support the FAA’s work on guidance and requirements for autonomous aircraft. Reliable is continuing to pursue certification of its technology for commercial operations, and the Albuquerque demonstrations do not constitute approval for routine autonomous cargo flights.

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