Reliable Robotics raises $115 million to make cargo planes fly themselves
The California startup, founded by former SpaceX engineers, is now valued at over $1 billion. It retrofits existing Cessna Caravans with autonomous flight systems.
Self-driving cars get most of the attention, but self-flying planes are quietly moving forward too. Reliable Robotics, a startup based in Mountain View, California, has raised $115 million, pushing its valuation above $1 billion.
The new money extends the company’s Series D round to $275 million. It includes $90 million in equity and a $25 million loan, and was led by returning investor Nimble Partners.
What does Reliable Robotics build?
The company was founded by former SpaceX engineers Robert Rose and Juerg Frefel. Instead of designing a brand-new aircraft, it adds automation to planes that already exist.
Its Reliable Autonomy System handles flight controls, navigation and flight planning. The goal is to automate a whole flight, from taxi and takeoff to landing. The first aircraft is the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, a small plane widely used to carry cargo to regional airports.
The company is also developing its own radar, so the aircraft can detect other planes and obstacles.
Why start with cargo?
- No passengers on board, which makes approval simpler than for passenger flights.
- Pilot shortages make it hard to staff small cargo routes.
- Rural communities depend on small planes for deliveries, and automation could make those routes cheaper.
Reliable was selected for the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program, which includes plans for autonomous cargo flights to smaller communities in New Mexico and Colorado. The company also says it has contracts with several branches of the US military.
When will planes fly without pilots?
Not yet. Certification by the FAA is the biggest hurdle. Chief executive Robert Rose expects:
- In 18 to 24 months: first certification for continuous autopilot operation, with a pilot still on board
- In at least three years: flights without a pilot in the cockpit
These are company estimates, not regulatory decisions.
In aviation, the hardest part isn’t building the technology. It’s proving to regulators that it is safe.
Why it matters
Air cargo moves medicine, parcels and spare parts to places roads reach slowly. If autonomous systems prove safe, they could lower costs and improve services in remote areas. The same technology could also make human-flown aircraft safer, by acting as an always-alert co-pilot.
