Sat, Sep 20, 2025
Fully Autonomous, AI-Enabled Cessna Caravan Enters Next Phase of Flight Testing
As its AI-enabled, fully autonomous Cessna Caravan progresses through flight testing, technology developer Merlin has announced that it will be shifting operations to Laurence G. Hanscom Field (BED) in Bedford, Massachusetts. This move progresses Merlin’s partner-turned-neighbor relationship with the US Special Operations Command and Air Force.
“Establishing Hanscom Field as our new flight test center is a major milestone in advancing autonomy in aviation as we get closer to becoming the first certified AI-enabled, takeoff-to-touchdown system,” said Matt George, CEO and founder of Merlin. “This facility enables us to accelerate testing on our certification-ready aircraft, directly supporting our ongoing partnerships with the military.”
The Merlin-modified Caravan is the first aircraft to secure an FAA certification basis for takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy, and the developer says testing at Hanscom will only accelerate the effort to get the ‘Merlin Pilot’ airborne. The program is also working with the US Special Operations Command and Air Force, evaluating the autonomy package on the C-130J and KC-135 platforms.
The relocation follows Merlin’s 2024 decision to shift testing from Mojave, California, to Quonset State Airport in Rhode Island. That transition brought the company closer to Boston, but the team quickly realized the benefits of a base like Hanscom, which provides greater capacity and access to nearby Hanscom Air Force Base. Some dual testing will continue at Quonset during the transition. Merlin will now move into the former Navy hangar at Hanscom, decking out the space with labs, offices, and flight support facilities.
Merlin has made steady progress since its establishment in 2018, logging hundreds of autonomous flights worldwide and securing over $100 million in US military contracts. The company says its AI-powered software is aircraft-agnostic, designed to retrofit both legacy and next-generation fleets moving forward.
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