Slouching Towards Wellington …

Boston-based Merlin Labs is an aviation technology concern endeavoring to perfect and deliver at scale a system by which conventional aircraft may be flown autonomously by arrays of sensors working in concert with powerful computers, AI algorithms, and electro-mechanical actuation hardware.

In 2022, Merlin announced a $105-million Series B financing campaign and key partnerships with the United States Air Force, the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority, and the FAA. Subject funding and fraternization allowed the company to continue development of its autonomous flight architecture, an integrated hardware and software solution dubbed Merlin Pilot.

On 12 April 2023 it was announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had awarded Merlin a $1-million contract for purpose of demonstrating the capabilities of its Merlin Pilot product along Alaskan air-routes—albeit under the watchful eyes of onboard safety pilots.

On 15 May 2023, Merlin Labs announced that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of New Zealand had concluded its review of the company’s first Stage Of Involvement (SOI-1) and approved a Plan for Software Aspects of Certification (PSAC). The approvals occasion significant advancements along the Merlin Pilot system’s path to validation and certification.

Comprising four distinct phases, the Kiwi CAA’s certification process ensures safety-critical software achieves in-air operability. Having now surmounted the first of the four phases, the Merlin Pilot system’s CAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)—by virtue of the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement—is on a concurrent validation track with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

To date, Merlin Labs's Merlin Pilot is the only takeoff-to-touchdown aircraft automation system to achieve SOI-1. The stage-approval greenlights the development of the system’s flight control software and lays the groundwork for Merlin Pilot to earn the distinction of being the first aircraft automation system validated by the FAA.

Granted only two-short-years after the company’s initial PSCP was accepted in Q1 2022, the 15 May approval underscores Merlin Labs’s ambitious certification and regulatory cadence.

Merlin Labs co-founder and CEO Matthew George stated: “We have been working hand-in-hand with the CAA and achieving the SOI-1 regulatory milestone allows us to rapidly, safely, and effectively integrate the Merlin Pilot into our skies, transforming the way goods and people move around the world. SOI-1 is the critical step of this process and we’re proud to be the first to accomplish this stage of certification progress.

Mr. George added: “We will continue to undergo rigorous evaluations by the CAA ensuring that we’re following the plans set forth in SOI-1 … we’re excited to responsibly bring the Merlin Pilot to certification. We’re confident that with each SOI we achieve we will set a strong foundation for FAA validation of the CAA’s certification processes, delegations, and organizational approval system.”

Going forward, Merlin will undergo further testing to evaluate the viability and safety of its software. Following a final successful CAA evaluation, Merlin’s software will be considered DO-178C compliant. The DO-178C—or Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification—is the primary document by which global certification authorities approve commercial software-based aerospace systems.

Merlin Labs New Zealand CEO Shaun Johnson remarked: “Safety is our primary objective, and we’ve worked closely with the CAA to ensure this initial stage of involvement was conducted swiftly and thoroughly. As the first advanced automation flight technology to achieve this level of approval, we’re thrilled to progress our software development work and get the Merlin Pilot into operational service.”

That the Merlin Pilot system heralds the possible eradication of the piloting profession is a matter neither Mr. George, Mr. Johnson, the CAA, the FAA, nor even ALPA has yet deigned to address.

FMI: www.merlinlabs.com