Autonomous Operations for US Air Force Planes: New System Set to Automate Takeoff, Landing, and All Operations
The United States Air Force has entered into a significant partnership with Reliable Robotics, a California-based company, in a deal worth $17.4 million. This collaboration aims to advance autonomous aircraft technology, with the ultimate goal of making air travel safer, more affordable, and accessible.
General Mike Minihan (Ret.), former Commander of Air Mobility Command, has expressed his belief that autonomous aircraft are a true force multiplier. The Air Force is leveraging autonomy to reduce risk and expand the number and diversity of locations where sustainment can go.
Reliable Robotics is working on the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), the Air Force's extensible multi-platform and multi-mission autonomy architecture. The company has also signed a contract that includes the purchase, integration, and test of the Reliable Autonomy System (RAS) onboard a Cessna 208B aircraft.
The Reliable Autonomy System is a complete solution for the integration of large uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into both civil and military airspaces. It utilizes multiple layers of redundancy and advanced navigation technology to improve safety and achieve the levels of integrity and reliability necessary for uncrewed flight. The system automates aircraft through all phases of operation, including taxi, takeoff, en route, and landing.
Robert Rose, CEO and co-founder of Reliable Robotics, stated that the deployment is about bringing a dual-use autonomy system to improve safety and boost operational tempo at scale. The innovation is designed to work on any aircraft, in any airspace, and to directly address the most common causes of aviation incidents.
The development of the Reliable Autonomy System was, in part, funded by the U.S. Government. Reliable Robotics has worked with the Air Force through a variety of contracts and exercises to research, collaborate, develop, and implement autonomy onto the Cessna 208B Caravan and KC-135 Stratotanker.
The manufacturer of the Reliable Autonomy System announced that it plans to offer a convenient transportation medium and aims to make air travel safer and more affordable. The company's ultimate goal is to revolutionize the aviation industry and pave the way for a new era of autonomous aircraft technology.
