Aviation360 MEA

Reliable Robotics, a leader in safety-enhancing aircraft automation systems, completed a series of simulations and flight tests demonstrating successful integration of remotely piloted aircraft systems into congested airspace as part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Urban Air Mobility Airspace Management Demonstration (UAMD). Funded by the FAA through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), the demonstration included a week-long series of flights in Northern California.

“The flight tests conducted by Reliable Robotics highlighted the ability for new aircraft systems to interact with third-party service providers and seamlessly integrate into future airspace environments, and provided critical data for future operations,” said Diana Liang, Enterprise Portfolio Manager at the FAA.”

Within the test scenario, Reliable demonstrated its capability to carry out vectoring, adjust airspeed, and navigate through diverse simulated weather conditions within a simulated Class B airspace. The company transmitted aircraft telemetry from its control center to OneSky, a third-party service provider, which subsequently relayed the data to the FAA’s NextGen Integration & Evaluation Capability (NIEC) research lab. FAA air traffic controllers actively participated in the test, delivering crucial validation and insights to the FAA NextGen program office for its UAM Conops 2.0.

Davis Hackenberg, VP of Government Partnerships at Reliable Robotics, emphasized, “Engaging in collaborative demonstrations like this with the FAA will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of mobility and the transformation of our airspace to accommodate novel aircraft systems. Witnessing our system flawlessly operate within a live testing environment is exhilarating, and we take pride in contributing to establishing the path for the future integration of large uncrewed aircraft.”

By ensuring uninterrupted autopilot engagement throughout taxi, takeoff, and landing, Reliable’s system is poised to enhance aviation safety and mitigate common accident triggers like controlled flight into terrain and loss of control. In June, the FAA formally approved Reliable’s certification plan.