Tue, Mar 25, 2025
FAA Approval Enables Creation Of Certified Advanced Automation
Merlin, a developer of autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, announced it has received FAA Technical Standard Order authorization for its Remote Data Concentrator (RDC) developed in partnership with Shadin Avionics.
The approval means Merlin can proceed with the production of certified advanced automation for aircraft and represents a major advance in the flight test program of its certification-ready autonomy platform.
The RDC receives analog data from existing and new aircraft sensors and converts it into a digital format sent to Merlin’s flight control computers. Merlin and Shadin worked together to define the system, hardware, and design specifications for the RDC.
The TSO ensures that the custom RDC is in compliance with the rigorous airworthiness standards for both military and civilian aviation use. When certified, it will be adaptable for various aircraft types and classes including the C-130J and KC-135.
Matt George, CEO and founder of Merlin said, "Our team is meeting technical milestones regularly, which significantly advances the Merlin Pilot toward certification while enhancing aviation safety and efficiency.
“The FAA’s authorization of our RDC is a major achievement in our Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) program, reinforcing the strength of our collaboration with Shadin Avionics and our commitment to the highest aviation standards. This approval is a critical step toward integrating safe and reliable autonomy into both civil and military airspace."
Merlin is building a non-human pilot system to enable reduced-crew and uncrewed flight operations in a wide variety of aircraft. The company’s advanced automation system will enable full takeoff to touchdown flight. It uses inputs from aircraft sensors to understand the aircraft’s state and its situational environment, and is capable of navigating and making trajectory adjustments. It also uses Natural Language processing to communicate effectively with air traffic control.
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