Insider Brief
- Reliable Robotics has announced two major U.S. government partnerships aimed at accelerating the integration of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into both civilian and military airspace.
- Under a new Space Act Agreement with NASA, Reliable will collaborate on advanced testing of large uncrewed aircraft for cargo and air transport, focusing on detect-and-avoid protocols, lost communication scenarios, and airport operations.
- Through a separate CRADA with the U.S. Air Force, Reliable will align its commercial autonomous technologies with the Air Force’s Autonomy-Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), supporting rapid deployment, airspace interoperability, and future military missions.
Reliable Robotics announces new partnerships aimed at shaping the future of uncrewed aircraft systems in both civilian and military sectors.
The Mountain View, California-based company recently announced two U.S. government collaborations: a Space Act Agreement with NASA and a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Air Force. These partnerships will advance testing and integration of autonomous aircraft systems into national airspace and combat operations.
Under the NASA agreement, Reliable Robotics will work with the space agency to develop and test large uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) for air cargo and transportation. According to NASA and Reliable, the effort will focus on ensuring autonomous aircraft can safely operate within the existing National Airspace System. The work includes simulation activities such as human-in-the-loop detect-and-avoid (DAA) scenarios, procedures for lost communication links referred to as lost command and control (C2), and airport entry and departure interactions.
The research aims to address a key challenge in autonomous aviation: how to safely scale cargo operations using uncrewed aircraft. The joint work will involve collecting performance data, refining operating procedures, and validating consensus safety standards. The project builds on earlier collaboration with NASA that tested the use of surveillance radar for detect-and-avoid capabilities and supported NASA’s broader Advanced Air Mobility program.
Simultaneously, Reliable is working with the U.S. Air Force to help build out the Autonomy-Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA), a foundational system for future military autonomous platforms. Through the CRADA, Reliable will adapt its commercial technologies to be compatible with the A-GRA framework, supporting operations in civilian and military-controlled airspace.
The Air Force’s initiative aligns with its Agile Combat Employment concept, which calls for rapid deployment and flexible mission operations. Reliable’s role will be to ensure that commercial-grade autonomy can support military use, including integration with air traffic control systems and mission-critical functions.
Reliable has also secured funding from the Air Force under its AFWERX Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) program and has conducted successful flight demonstrations as part of the Agile Flag exercise. In a separate contract, the company delivered an automation roadmap for the KC-135, a military refueling aircraft.
Founded in 2017, Reliable Robotics has developed a system that enables remote operation of existing aircraft types, targeting both commercial and defense markets. The company has previously worked with the Federal Aviation Administration to validate detect-and-avoid systems and is pursuing full certification for its Reliable Autonomy System.
The work is being funded by NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and other U.S. Department of Defense initiatives, as well as through internal development at Reliable Robotics.
