Reliable Robotics and the City of Albuquerque Aviation Department have completed the first autonomous flight campaign at Albuquerque International Sunport, using an automated Cessna 208B Grand Caravan under the US Department of Transportation and FAA Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program. The two-day demonstration included gate-to-gate operations and was intended to support future regional cargo services linking Albuquerque with smaller communities in New Mexico and Colorado.
The aircraft conducted automated taxiing, take-off and landing at the commercial airport, which operates complex Class C airspace shared by civilian and joint-use military traffic. A remote pilot at Reliable Robotics’ headquarters in Mountain View, California, more than 700 miles away, supervised and commanded the aircraft while communicating with air traffic control. An onboard safety pilot was also present.
Reliable’s subsidiary, Reliable Airlines, plans pre-certification daily cargo operations from Albuquerque to Santa Fe Regional Airport and Durango-La Plata County Airport. The Caravan can carry about 1,000 pounds of cargo for more than 1,000 nautical miles, making it suitable for testing regional freight routes.
Operational data collected during the programme will be shared to support FAA regulations and guidance for integrating autonomous aircraft into the National Airspace System. The flights were demonstrations rather than routine commercial service, and the announcement did not specify when the planned cargo routes would receive final operational approval.