Reliable Robotics signs USAF contract for autonomous Cessna 208B aircraft
US aerospace technology startup Reliable Robotics announced on August 26, 2025, that it has signed a $17.4 million contract with the US Air Force to purchase, integrate and test its autonomous flight system onboard a Cessna 208B aircraft.
This development follows a long-term collaboration between the Californian firm and the Pentagon. The US military has been evaluating Reliable Robotics autonomous flight systems in a number of scenarios and domains, as part of its effort to strengthen its battlefield logistic capabilities.
In addition to the potential lower cost, autonomous systems are seen as a particularly promising way to deliver supplies to frontline troops in contested environments. Being unmanned, these aircraft present lower risks for personnel while also delivering much-enhanced in-theatre endurance.
In this regard, Reliable Robotics has highlighted that the modified Cessna 208B aircraft would be able to operate 24/7 over distances of thousands of miles. This is relevant in the event of US forces having to potentially operate in a hostile environment over the vast expanses of the Indo-Pacific region.
This is a scenario that features prominently in the minds of US military planners, and it is at the root of a number of innovative initiatives proposed by private aerospace companies. Examples of this are the unmanned ground-effect-vehicle recently proposed by REGENT or the recently discarded Sealifter program to develop a heavy amphibious airplane program.
Reliable Robotics is also planning to fit its technology into a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, a rather old platform that nevertheless remains strategic for force projection over very long distances.
Earlier this summer, Reliable Robotics disclosed that it is also working with the US Department of Defense to set up what is calls “Autonomy-Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA)”, a set of systems and procedures to integrate autonomously flying aircraft into the broader air traffic control system.
While military applications play a major role in Reliable Robotics development road map, the company is also eyeing the civilian market.
In the press release announcing the latest contract with the US Air Force, Reliable Robotics’ CEO, Robert Rose highlighted the dual use nature of this technology.
“This deployment is about bringing a dual-use autonomy system to improve safety and boost operational tempo at scale,” Rose stated.
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The post Reliable Robotics signs USAF contract for autonomous Cessna 208B aircraft appeared first on AeroTime.
US aerospace technology startup Reliable Robotics announced on August 26, 2025, that it has signed a $17.4 million…
The post Reliable Robotics signs USAF contract for autonomous Cessna 208B aircraft appeared first on AeroTime.
