Reliable Robotics to launch commercial cargo flights this year

Reliable Robotics, a company developing automated aircraft systems, announced that it will be launching commercial cargo flights powered by advanced automation this year.

To prepare for commercial operations, the company appointed David DeRose as director of finance and Lee Tomlinson as director of operations to its Part 135 airline subsidiary which will handle the cargo operations.

DeRose comes to Reliable Robotics from Ameriflight, where he worked for 25 years. In his time there he was a co-owner of Ameriflight and the executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Tomlinson brings 20 years of cargo feeder industry experience. He has extensive experience at cargo airlines, having worked at IFL Group, Mountain Air Cargo, West Air and American Medflight. The two join Jeff Drees, director of cargo strategy, at the subsidiary company.

Since its founding in 2017, Reliable Robotics has been working towards autonomous commercial aviation. It has already demonstrated gate-to-gate, fully automated operation of a Part 23 aircraft.

Since then, the company has set its sights on commercializing technologies for Part 23 cargo and Part 25 passenger planes.

The company is working to build an airline powered by advanced automation from the ground up, beginning with the hiring of key staff.

“We’ve taken deliberate steps to recruit a reputable team and further develop our experience in the air cargo sector, but certifying aircraft systems for safe routine operations takes time,” Robert Rose, co-founder and CEO of Reliable Robotics, said. “We will introduce automation into the airline operation once we have proven to ourselves and the FAA that these systems can be deployed safely for commercial use.”

Reliable Robotics is also working to bring its Remotely Operated Aircraft System and services to market. The company claims its technology will enable safer, more convenient and more affordable transportation of goods.

“We are working with leading cargo carriers eager to integrate remotely piloted systems into their fleets,” Drees said. “By demonstrating crewed air cargo delivery first, we will build a solid foundation for the transition to remotely operated flights.”

In October 2021, Reliable Robotics raised $100 million in Series C funding. The company planned to use the funding to scale its team.