All updates
All 62 published updates, newest publication date first; updates without a stated date come last. Page 5 of 7.
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Industry collaboration to advance fast-growing aerospace sector in Aotearoa
Airways International and Tāwhaki Joint Venture have announced a collaboration agreement to support the growth of the New Zealand aerospace sector. The agreement identifies key target areas to fast-track testing of uncrewed aircraft.
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Whānau Pānui – 26 April 2024
Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre is working to rejuvenate Kaitorete and create long-lasting opportunities for its whenua and people. The organization invites the community to attend a dreaming wānanga scheduled for the following month.
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Media Release: New Zealand Flies To The Stratosphere With NASA
Kea Aerospace has secured New Zealand government support to collaborate with NASA on a project to monitor coastal water quality using a solar-powered stratospheric plane.
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Autonomous Flight Testing
The article reports that the Kea Aerospace flight test team tested the auto pilot's 'return to home' functionality as part of fully autonomous flight operations. This testing was conducted on a day when the team was performing these specific autonomous flight operations.
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Flight Autonomy vs. Mission Autonomy
The article distinguishes between flight autonomy, which operates the aircraft safely, and mission autonomy, which determines how to pursue an objective. It argues that these are complementary layers with different responsibilities rather than a single scale of autonomy.
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Merlin Adds L-39 Albatros to Its Test Fleet, Helping Merlin Pilot™ Extend to More Tactical Mission Sets
Merlin Labs has added an Aero L-39C Albatros to its test fleet as its first jet. The aircraft is intended to serve as a dedicated jet testbed for flight testing and the continued development of Merlin Pilot for tactical aircraft.
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Merlin Moves its U.S. Flight Operations to North Central State Airport
Merlin has moved its U.S. flight operations to North Central State Airport in Smithfield, Rhode Island, concluding operations at Quonset State Airport. The move provides additional hangar capacity to support an expanding aircraft fleet and growing flight testing requirements.
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Presence Is Deterrence: Autonomy for the World’s Unwatched Waters
Merlin Labs hosted the President of Palau at its Rhode Island test flight facility, where he expressed a desire for the nation to serve as a test case for autonomous aviation in the Pacific.
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The Cessna Grand Caravan: A Testbed for Aircraft-Agnostic Autonomy
Merlin Labs uses the Cessna Grand Caravan as a testbed to evaluate software and collect flight data for developing its autonomous pilot system. The aircraft's low operating costs and suitability for short transport missions allow for frequent flight testing to guide software updates.
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Beyond the ISS: Building the next commercial LEO economy
The article reports that the next LEO economy will be served by a mix of dedicated, scalable platforms to meet new demands for frequent access and control. It identifies uncrewed free-flyers as a critical part of this market, offering high-cadence access and custom mission design.