Merlin Pilot holds a Software Features Program Certificate (PSAC) from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.

05-22-2023

The Boston-based company is currently developing a fixed-wing autonomous aircraft alongside its commercial Merlin Pilot offering.

Merlin is one of the only takeoff-to-landing automation software packages that can be installed on existing aircraft. The company has tested its software in a modified Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Alaska, New Zealand and the Mojave Desert.

Merlin intends to pursue a concurrent validation pathway with the FAA under the US-New Zealand Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement. Following a satisfactory final evaluation by the CAA, the Merlin software will be deemed compliant with DO-178C. DO-178C, or Software Considerations in the Certification of Aircraft Instruments and Systems, is the primary document by which certification authorities worldwide approve all software-based commercial aerospace systems.

Matthew George, Merlin Co-Founder and CEO, said: “We are working closely with the CAA and the achievement of the SOI 1 regulatory milestone will allow Merlin Pilot to quickly, safely and efficiently integrate into our skies where goods and people move around the world. SOI 1 is the epitome of this process. This is an important step and we are proud to be the first to achieve this stage of certification progress. We will continue to undergo rigorous assessments by the CAA to ensure we are following the plans set out in SOI 1, and we are excited to bring the Merlin pilot to responsible certification. With each SOI we achieve, the CAA We believe we will establish a strong foundation for FAA verification of certification processes, delegations, and organizational approval systems.

Introducing autonomy to an existing airframe provides a glimpse of future airlift technology capabilities. Merlin’s certification strategy will pay off in a big way and allow it to be one of the first fully autonomous software packages for aircraft certified to DO-178C.