Merlin Labs Drops New Zealand Autonomy Plan, Targets US Airline Cockpits

Merlin Labs, a US-based developer of autonomous flight systems, has dropped its New Zealand autonomy plan and is redirecting its effort toward the United States. The company is targeting 7,000 US airline cockpits, according to its stated plan.

Its flagship product, the Merlin Pilot, is an artificial intelligence system intended to operate aircraft from takeoff to landing. It uses onboard software together with onboard sensors. The system is designed to be aircraft-agnostic, so it can be integrated on any aircraft type in service.

The company presented the technology as a response to the global pilot shortage that has been widely reported. The source did not give a timeline for certification, integration, or deployment, and did not name any US airline partners.