Autonomous air cargo operations are set to be tested in the U.S. Southwest through a pilot project involving Reliable Robotics and the City of Albuquerque Aviation Department under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program.
The project is intended to evaluate the use of autonomous commercial cargo aircraft to connect Albuquerque with other communities in the Four Corners region, including Durango–La Plata County Airport in Colorado and Santa Fe Regional Airport in New Mexico. The program focuses on expanding air cargo connectivity for smaller towns and rural areas while testing technologies designed to operate unmanned aircraft in controlled airspace.
Operations are expected to be conducted by Reliable Airlines, a subsidiary of Reliable Robotics, from Albuquerque International Sunport, the largest commercial airport in New Mexico. The pilot program aims to demonstrate how autonomous aircraft systems can be integrated into existing aviation infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.
Reliable Robotics is developing an aircraft autonomy platform designed to manage taxi, takeoff, en-route flight and landing using an always-active autopilot system. The system also includes detect-and-avoid technology that combines onboard radar with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Advanced Collision Avoidance System X to address potential traffic conflicts.
Robert Rose, chief executive officer and co-founder of Reliable Robotics, said the technology being certified with the FAA is intended to improve safety in regional cargo operations and demonstrate the integration of large unmanned aircraft systems into controlled airspace.
According to the company, the autonomy system is designed to work with existing aircraft and airport infrastructure without requiring modifications to airports.
Local officials said the project forms part of broader aviation modernization efforts at Albuquerque International Sunport. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the partnership with Reliable Airlines contributes to efforts to advance new aviation technologies, while Manny Manriquez, acting director of aviation for the City of Albuquerque, said the airport system has introduced new technologies as part of ongoing modernization work and noted that Reliable Airlines has conducted air cargo operations at the Sunport since 2023.
Public-sector participants in the project include the New Mexico Department of Transportation, the New Mexico Economic Development Department, New Mexico State University’s UAS Test Site, Durango–La Plata County Airport and Santa Fe Regional Airport. Data collected during the program is expected to contribute to regulatory development related to the integration of aviation autonomy into the U.S. National Airspace System.
Reliable Robotics is also working with the U.S. Air Force on a separate program to build and deploy a commercial aircraft equipped with autonomous technology for logistics operations in the Indo-Pacific region. The project is intended to demonstrate continuous cargo operations without a pilot onboard.
