The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) this week contracted with Reliable Robotics to design, develop, and test autonomous aircraft capabilities for existing Air Force platforms. Under its Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contracts, the AFRL awards up to $1 million to support technology development work.
California-based Reliable Robotics intends to demonstrate how its aircraft-agnostic Remotely Operated Aircraft System can be adapted to multiple airframes. According to David O’Brien, the company’s senior vice president of government solutions, it will provide reports to the Air Force proposing how a wide variety of unspecified new and existing aircraft could be upgraded to support autonomous operations. “This contract will culminate with a test plan and report that informs the Air Force on a process to define, evaluate, and deliver accelerated autonomy solutions using our Remotely Operated Aircraft System,” he told FutureFlight. “Our remotely piloted aircraft system unlocks opportunities for all defense agencies in cargo delivery, logistics, surveillance, and other applications where higher tempos and lower costs are vital.”
In 2019, Reliable Robotics remotely piloted a Cessna 172 Skyhawk through a populated region without any pilot on board. In 2021, it remotely piloted a Cessna 208 Caravan cargo aircraft from a control center more than 50 miles away. The company, which was founded in 2017, was a finalist in last year’s Collier Trophy competition for great achievements in aeronautics.
