Reliable Robotics to Provide Fully Autonomous Cessna 208B Aircraft to the Service

The United States Air Force recently awarded a $17.4 million contract to Reliable Robotics in hopes of redefining military cargo transportation. The company’s end of the bargain includes the purchase, integration, and testing of autonomous systems on Cessna 208B aircraft.

“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,” explained General Mike Minihan, 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.”

In theory, the deal means that the humble Caravan, which has been a staple of small cargo operations worldwide, could be converted to a drone that moves military freight between bases. Reliable says the technology is “aircraft agnostic” and comes with multiple layers of redundancy.

The contract continues a long-standing relationship between the Air Force and Reliable. Previous contracts explored putting autonomy into both the Caravan and even the KC-135 Stratotanker. The latest update reflects the Air Force’s growing interest in “Agile Combat Employment,” which, in simple terms, means moving gear quickly and unpredictably so others have a harder time guessing where supplies will show up.

Getting a Caravan to take off, fly, and land by itself is only step one. The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX, its innovation arm, are eyeing broader applications for autonomy under the Autonomy Government Reference Architecture, an initiative that hopes to eventually see the same code run everything from drones to tankers.

“Reliable is taking the first step to redefining military aviation mobility,” said Robert Rose, CEO and co-founder, Reliable Robotics. “This deployment is about bringing a dual-use autonomy system to improve safety and boost operational tempo at scale.”

FMI: https://reliable.co, https://afwerx.com