Autonomy software developer Merlin has begun the flight test campaign for its self-piloting Cessna Caravan aircraft.
The trials are being held to validate the certification-ready aircraft for real-world operations according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Part 23 Standard Airworthiness Certification on Normal Category Airplanes.
During the event, the Caravan and its corresponding autopilot are expected to function “seamlessly and as intended,” with the collected data to be used for additional refinements and assessments.
“Merlin emerged from a broad field of experimental demonstrators, and is now uniquely turning in a ‘final draft’ with the flight test campaign of the industry’s first certification-ready Cessna Caravan,” Merlin Founder and CEO Matt George stated.
“What we’ve installed on this aircraft is not a prototype as this is no longer R&D. This is the actual certification configuration including design data, hundreds of drawings and substantiation reports, custom racks and structures, compliant wiring, and more.”
Preparation for the campaign began with an integration check flight in June 2024. It was followed by the finalization of the automatic flight control system’s open, inner, and closed looping test flights.
“With this aircraft we are validating takeoff to touchdown advanced automation, which for pilots, represents a system that is truly ‘set it and forget it,’” George said.
“At the end of the campaign with this certification configuration we will ultimately return this aircraft to service in the Supplemental Type Certificate configuration. This is part of our steady push towards our certification and commercialization goals.”
Combining Autonomy With Caravan
For the campaign, Merlin converted the Caravan’s glass cockpit with new sensors, a communication system, and advanced avionics.
The platform also incorporates dual redundancy solutions found in the FAA’s Part 25 transport aircraft category to improve “reliability and safety standards,” an integration tested aboard the US Air Force’s C-130 J Super Hercules and KC-135 Stratotanker planes.
“We stripped everything out of this Cessna Caravan and replaced the instrument panel and legacy systems…and custom hardware and software for the Merlin Pilot,” Merlin Chief Engineer Sherif Ali explained.
“This includes an air data computer, inertial navigation system, heading system, radar altimeter, all of which were integrated at an incredibly high level of quality in order to meet certification standards.”
“With these systems onboard, the Merlin Pilot is able to understand where the aircraft is, where it’s going, and more. This information goes into our flight control computers and is processed such that the Merlin Pilot can ultimately fly the aircraft where it needs to go, when it needs to go there.”
