Dependable Robotics, a frontrunner in plane automation programs, introduced a major milestone in its work to convey superior safety-enhancing applied sciences to market in america. Final month’s profitable flight of a Cessna 208B Caravan with nobody on board was a primary for aviation. A distant pilot supervised the uncrewed plane from Dependable’s management middle 50 miles away. For a 360° expertise contained in the cockpit, view and scroll round at: https://youtu.be/0W5JHIHq40Q
The Dependable autonomous flight system permits the plane to be remotely operated by a pilot on the bottom and improves security by totally automating the plane by way of all phases of operation together with taxi, takeoff and touchdown. Dependable’s system is plane agnostic and makes use of a number of layers of redundancy and superior navigation expertise to realize the degrees of integrity and reliability needed for uncrewed flight. The system will forestall managed flight into terrain (CFIT) and lack of management in flight (LOC-I), which account for almost all of deadly aviation accidents.
The Cessna Caravan is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc. Dependable Robotics has been collaborating with Textron Aviation, which incorporates the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker manufacturers, and Textron eAviation centered on sustainable flying. Textron Aviation has delivered greater than 3,000 Caravans, proving it to be the world’s hottest turboprop utility plane.
“Textron Aviation is dedicated to delivering steady aviation enhancements and our relationship with Dependable Robotics advances this work,” mentioned Chris Hearne, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Packages, Textron Aviation. “Dependable’s profitable flight of an uncrewed Cessna 208 Caravan represents a milestone for the {industry} in bringing new expertise to aviation.”
The Caravan, and different regional cargo plane prefer it, serve a vital function connecting communities and companies throughout america and across the globe. With a helpful load of over 3,000 kilos, and a take-off efficiency to function from shorter runways, these plane ship time-sensitive shipments to many locations that may in any other case not have next-day or same-day service. Distant piloting will permit much more areas to learn from this vital service.
ASL Aviation Holdings is a worldwide aviation providers firm with airways primarily based in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, and has been working with Dependable Robotics since 2022 to discover bringing superior plane automation into its operations. ASL operates a fleet of over 160 plane and gives cargo providers for the world’s main categorical parcel integrators and eCommerce platforms. Dependable Robotics is an unique member of ASL’s CargoVision discussion board of corporations concerned in pioneering new aviation and propulsion applied sciences.
“ASL is all the time innovating to higher serve prospects, and our partnership with Dependable Robotics is geared toward enabling us to supply dependable, versatile and cost-efficient time-sensitive cargo supply to smaller unserved areas,” mentioned Dave Andrew, Chief Govt of ASL Aviation Holdings. “This historic flight is a testomony to Dependable’s centered management in advancing aviation innovation and functionality for the {industry}.”
Dependable Robotics and the U.S. Air Power are working to leverage the numerous progress on distant piloting for the Cessna Caravan to collectively study how this commercially derived expertise may be utilized to massive multi-engine plane for cargo logistics, aerial refueling and different missions. Dependable has been working beneath a collection of contracts with the Air Power since 2021.
“This monumental aviation achievement is a superb instance of how AFWERX accelerates agile and inexpensive functionality transitions for the world’s biggest Air Power,” mentioned Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX Director and Chief Commercialization Officer for the Division of the Air Power. “This milestone accelerates dual-use uncrewed flight alternatives, rising aviation security and enabling us to convey a broad vary of autonomous army capabilities into denied environments.”
The FAA formally accepted the certification plan for Dependable’s autonomous flight system in June of 2023. The certification plan leverages present laws for regular and transport class plane, and doesn’t require any particular situations or exemptions. With a number of industry-first technical accomplishments and unequalled FAA certification progress, Dependable Robotics is properly positioned to ship safety-enhancing plane automation programs.
