Textron Aviation and Merlin have unveiled the Cessna SkyCourier UX, a concept aircraft pairing the FAA-certified SkyCourier with Merlin’s autonomy software for autonomous resupply missions. The design was presented at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, and targets contested-logistics operations where conventional supply routes are constrained or unavailable.
The concept study replaces the cockpit with additional cargo space and a large forward nose opening for straight-in loading. It also includes kneeling capability and integrated loading systems to speed handling in austere conditions. Current design objectives point to a payload of about 6,000 pounds, capacity for up to three LD3 cargo containers and operations from rough or unimproved runways.
Textron and Merlin describe the aircraft as a concept rather than a finished production design, and further engineering work is still required. No production schedule, certification pathway or customer commitment has been disclosed.