Autonomous Merlin Pilot Wins Airworthiness Approval in New Zealand

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ) has awarded Merlin an experimental airworthiness certificate for its Merlin Pilot autonomous flight platform, clearing it to begin certification flight testing in the country, the company announced on May 22.

Starting with the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, Merlin intends to offer its autonomous flight control system for various aircraft under supplemental type certificates. While the Merlin Pilot could someday enable fully autonomous flights without human pilots on board, Merlin is initially focused on implementing the technology as a pilot aid for reduced-crew operations.

“This certification in New Zealand represents a strong vote of confidence from CAANZ and is a major technical milestone in our certification journey,” said Merlin founder and CEO Matt George.

Headquartered in Boston, Merlin is also pursuing U.S. FAA certification for the Merlin Pilot system. The FAA and CAANZ jointly approved Merlin’s certification basis in 2021. Merlin opened a test facility at Kerikeri in New Zealand in 2023. Shortly afterward, the company obtained a Part 135 air operator certificate that it has been using for data-collection flights on unmodified freighters.

“The testing carried out in the region plays a crucial role in advancing the maturity of our platform and directly supports in-air operability and certification efforts not only with the CAANZ, but also with the FAA,” George said. “With extensive testing underway in both the United States and New Zealand, we’re accelerating the ability for our autonomy platform to enhance the safety of aviation operations globally.”