Permits Certification Flight Testing For Full Autonomy Flight

Merlin, developer of assured autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, announced it received an Experimental Certificate of Airworthiness from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, or CAANZ, allowing Merlin to conduct flight testing for certification of its autonomy platform in New Zealand.

Merlin’s certification plans were initially approved by CAANZ and FAA in 2021 to establish the first certification basis in the world for an autonomous flight system. With this certificate, Merlin now advances to the final phase of experimental flight testing.

The CAANZ will be involved in the program in the capacity of risk management and intelligence, affirming the agency’s higher level of confidence in Merlin’s ability to operate its autonomy platform safely and reliably in a controlled environment.

Merlin also gained test pilot approvals that permit concurrent test flights with multiple aircraft, which will also reduce the timeline to certification and eventual commercial readiness for its platform.

Matt George, Founder and CEO of Merlin said, “This certification in New Zealand represents a strong vote of confidence from CAANZ and is a major technical milestone in our certification journey.

“The testing carried out in the region plays a crucial role in advancing the maturity of our platform and directly supports in-air operability and certification efforts not only with the CAANZ, but also with the FAA. With extensive testing underway in both the United States and New Zealand, we’re accelerating the ability for our autonomy platform to enhance the safety of aviation operations globally.”

FMI:  merlinlabs.com/