The U.S. Air Force is continuing to experiment with autonomous cargo planes, announcing Tuesday that it has agreed to buy $17.4 million worth of automated aircraft systems from the California-based firm Reliable Robotics.
Under terms of the contract, the service will purchase, integrate, and test the firm’s Reliable Autonomy System (RAS) onboard a Cessna 208B aircraft. According to the firm, its approach of adding autonomous capabilities to proven aircraft models grants operators greater safety, flexibility, and efficiency than using new plane designs. Reliable Robotics has previously worked with the Air Force on contracts to research, collaborate, develop, and implement autonomy onto the Cessna 208B Caravan and KC-135 Stratotanker.
Reliable Robotics says its RAS platform is airplane agnostic, and can integrate large uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into both civil and military airspaces by automating aircraft through all phases of operation including taxi, takeoff, enroute, and landing.
“Autonomous aircraft are a true force multiplier, enabling every service’s agility concepts—especially Agile Combat Employment (ACE), where success depends on rapid, unpredictable logistics across dispersed hubs,” said General Mike Minihan (Ret.), former Commander of Air Mobility Command. “Reliable’s automation shows how the Air Force is leveraging autonomy not just to reduce risk, but to expand the number and diversity of locations where sustainment can go—directly, securely, and at the tempo required to win.”
The Air Force has also granted contracts to other autonomous aircraft firms, such as a $37 million deal with Texas firm Skyways earlier this year, and 2024 tests of systems from Pyka and Xwing and from Joby.
