Merlin has cleared a key certification step in New Zealand after regulators accepted the approach for its AI-based natural language processing software that enables voice interaction with air traffic control. The milestone forms part of the company’s Merlin Pilot autonomy programme and applies to the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan it has been flying in the country since 2024.
The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand also completed Stage of Involvement 3 for the Flight Control Computer and Automated Communication System, two core elements of the autonomy platform. The work is being coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration under a bilateral aviation safety agreement, leaving Merlin further along a pathway toward certification but still short of final approval. The latest progress reduces regulatory uncertainty around AI and machine learning in certified aviation, particularly for speech-based ATC communication.
Merlin has framed the software review as defining the evidence needed to show the system is safe and performs as intended. The company is pursuing pilot-supervised autonomous flight, with New Zealand serving as the main certification base for the programme.