A Google-funded startup bets on fully autonomous planes

Startup from Boston, USA, Merlin Labs, with the help of Googleannounced its plans for Implement your 100% autonomous aircraft technology that can transport passengers. A few days ago, the company revealed how it would achieve this, a . after millionaire investment round Who bets on this type of innovation.

Merlin Labs, in fact, You are not building a physical airplane, flying car or eVTOLbut developing fully autonomous technology For the airplane to fly by itself. Early investors backing startups include Google Ventures Y First Round Capital. was the initial stage of investment 25 million USD.

With this funding, Merlin Labs plans to apply its autonomous technology to its fleet of aircraft. king air. To achieve its objectives, the startup has partnered with aerospace company dynamic aviation To build its own fleet of autonomous aircraft, without human pilots.

The 55 King Air fleet belongs to Dynamic Aviation, which will work with startups to test autonomous technology. The main objective is to bring a certified autonomous system for fixed-wing aircraft.

the future of flights

55 King Air aircraft will offer 100% autonomous flights from takeoff to landing. this fleet there will be no human pilots And, they assure, will be able to carry passengers. To achieve this, startup. works to offer an autonomous aircraft driving system through Development of artificial intelligence.

Thus, Merlin Labs wants to create the first autonomous flight system for large aircraft with a fixed wing, complying with aviation regulations. To achieve this, they are testing aircraft at the Mojave Air and Space Port. The startup has flight facilities in California.

As mentioned on their site, they are evolving Sophisticated software and hardware who perform the functions of a human pilot. So far, they state that they have performed hundreds of takeoff-to-landing missions with thousands of hours of simulation.

startup platform Has worked with four different types of aircraft, from airplane single engine for complex aircraft with different engines. But how to guarantee the safety of passengers in the future?

The company notes that it is working with some of the world’s leading security experts to implement and integrate autonomy national airspace system In partnership with regulators.

The technology used by the startup is focused on autonomy on board rather than remote piloting. Its ambitious short-term goal is to enable To make your decision for a plane, With a pilot who maintains his presence for surveillance purposes. In the long term, they want to allow planes to fly safely without humans on board.

It is important to understand that this innovation is not about autopilot, but autonomous aviation, a relatively new and growing field. Two years ago, in July 2019, the Technical University of Munich made its first landing 100% autonomously.

A year later, during the pandemic, in August 2020, an Airbus A350 took off and landed autonomously. And now, this startup is looking to offer its solution to other companies through its automated pilot, along with an advanced level of autonomous driving.

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