Air Force, Robotics Maker Ink Contract for Advanced Aircraft Automation

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Reliable Robotics a multi-year contract to use Reliable’s dual-use advanced aircraft automation for airlift and refueling aircraft. 

The Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract leverages the Reliable Robotics technology to provide advanced automation to the Air Force. The contract spans multiple years and can be used to help advance Reliable’s development, production and deployment of its autonomous flight system. 

The Air Force is looking to commercial technologies like Reliable’s autonomous flight system “to enable longer duration operations in contested environments while increasing safety and reducing demands for aircrews and lowering procurement costs,” according to a statement. 

Lt. Col Josh Fehd, AFWERX autonomy prime branch chief, said aircraft autonomy is a mission critical capability for the Air Force. 

“This IDIQ contract is driven by demand from Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces and commands that want to employ advanced aircraft automation in their fleets as soon as possible,” Fehd said.

“IDIQ contract award signals long-term engagement with the Air Force and provides flexibility for us to further demonstrate our autonomous flight system in operational readiness activities, explore automation of more aircraft and deploy production-ready capabilities,” said Dr. David O’Brien, major general (Ret.), and Reliable Robotics’ senior vice president of government solutions. “In addition to automating the Cessna 208B Caravan and KC-135 Stratotanker, other aircraft like the Cessna 408 SkyCourier and ISR platforms may also be evaluated under this contract.”

Related:Air Force, Reliable Robotics Team to Explore Jet Automation

This isn’t the first time Reliable Robotics has collaborated with the Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX. They have been working together since 2021. 

Reliable Robotics last year contracted with the Air Force to conduct research into automating large, multi-engine jets that included a feasibility assessment of both full and limited aircraft automation features for cargo operations. 

Reliable Robotics received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for its autonomous flight system certification plan, allowing the company to begin testing its fully automated aircraft systems.