Merlin, Inc. is shifting its civil certification strategy to focus exclusively on autonomous flight technology for large aircraft. The company withdrew its Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) application for small aircraft with the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ). New Zealand will remain Merlin’s primary flight test and demonstration hub for the Pacific region.
This strategic pivot targets a market of over 7,000 large commercial aircraft currently in service in the U.S. Many of these existing aircraft lack modern computing capabilities. Merlin will apply its technical and regulatory experience to modernize these larger fleets.
The company is currently integrating its Merlin Pilot system onto the C-130J military aircraft. This move aligns Merlin’s civil and defense programs on a single core platform. The company expects this dual-track approach to generate compounding technical and regulatory benefits.