Why trust, not just technology, is the foundation of autonomous flight. 

In aviation, public trust is built entirely on the foundation of safety. That trust has been aviation’s greatest source of value, built over decades through discipline, transparency, and a culture that treats every near-miss as a lesson. Larry Colby, Merlin’s Director of Aviation Safety, is working to ensure that trust, communication and continuous learning are integral to every decision at Merlin, from engineering design through flight operations. We spoke with Larry about what it takes to cultivate that kind of culture, and why he believes it’s that will ultimately earn trust in autonomous aviation. 

What brought you to Merlin, and what drew you to autonomy in aviation? 

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work on missions where safety, leadership, and technology all came together. Whether it was flying U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force aircraft, working in the Pentagon, or supporting national security and emerging technology initiatives, I found myself drawn to organizations tackling difficult problems that have real world consequences. 

Aviation has one of the strongest safety cultures of any industry, and autonomy’s potential to transform aviation in a meaningful way was a major draw. Bringing those two factors together is an exciting challenge, and why Merlin felt like a natural next step in my career. I am excited for an opportunity to help ensure that innovation is introduced in a way that earns trust from pilots, operators, regulators, and the public. 

Tell us about your role. What are you working on as Director of Aviation Safety? 

My responsibility is helping to build and scale an environment where safety is part of every decision, not something that’s reviewed at the end of a project. Good safety organizations aren’t built around compliance alone. They’re built around communication, trust, and continuous learning. If people are comfortable asking questions, reporting concerns, and learning from small issues before they become larger ones, that’s when an organization thrives. 

They’re built around communication, trust, and continuous learning

Larry Colby, Director of Aviation Safety , Merlin

One of the things I enjoy most about this role is that every day is a little different. Some days I’m working with engineering teams to think through potential hazards early in the design process. Other days I’m working with flight operations, reviewing safety reports, discussing risk assessments, or helping strengthen our Safety Management System. 

In your view, what makes Merlin’s approach to autonomy unique or meaningful in the broader aviation ecosystem? 

Something that impressed me from the onset is the Merlin team’s understanding of aviation. The conversation isn’t simply about building autonomy, it's about building autonomy that fits within the aviation ecosystem. 

Defense and commercial aviation has earned its safety record over decades through disciplined engineering, operational excellence, and close collaboration with regulators. Merlin respects that history. The objective isn’t to replace pilots or bypass existing systems, but rather to develop technology that works alongside those systems while improving safety and capability. 

Autonomy will only succeed if people trust it, and trust is earned through transparency, testing, disciplined engineering, and consistent performance over time. 

Larry Colby, Director of Aviation Safety , Merlin

How does working on real world aircraft and flight test programs influence your perspective on autonomy? 

Working around real aircraft reminds you that aviation is fundamentally a team effort. Every flight involves great people, maintenance, weather, procedures, training, communication, and countless other variables. 

Flight testing reinforces the importance of understanding the entire operational system rather than focusing on a single component. It’s easy to become excited about what new technology can do, but aviation has always been about integrating technology safely into an already complex environment. 

As a pilot, I also appreciate how much trust crews place in the systems around them. That perspective influences how I think about autonomy. It must be predictable, understandable, and reliable, not only during routine operations but especially when something unexpected happens. 

What are you most excited about for the next chapter at Merlin? 

The opportunity to work alongside people who are helping to shape the future of aviation. 

There is a tremendous amount of experience, creativity, and passion across this company. Being part of a team that’s developing technology with the potential to improve aviation safety and expand operational capability is both exciting and professionally rewarding. 

I’m also excited to continue building a safe culture that enables this innovation. The technology is being designed to make aviation safer, and its long term success depends on pairing technical excellence with trust, transparency, and continuous learning. 

What does building the safety foundation for an entirely new category of technology let you do differently, and better, than teams working within legacy frameworks? 

It’s a unique opportunity because it is imperative that Merlin continues to make safety foundational to both the technology and the way Merlin operates. That means fostering open reporting, proactive risk identification, cross-functional collaboration, and continuous learning. Safety needs to be embedded throughout engineering, flight operations, and leadership, shaping how decisions are made every day.

A strong safety foundation shouldn’t slow innovation down. In my experience, it enables innovation by giving people the confidence that risks are being identified, discussed openly, and managed thoughtfully. That clearly allows teams to move forward with greater clarity and confidence. 

How do you balance the pace of innovation with the rigor regulators like the FAA and CAA expect? 

I’ve always believed that innovation and discipline go hand in hand. 

Modern, technology-first organizations naturally move quickly, and that’s one of their strengths. Aviation, however, reminds us that speed should never come at the expense of thoughtful decision making or sound engineering. 

Fortunately for us, those goals aren’t in conflict. Strong safety processes, open communication, and disciplined risk management make organizations more effective because they reduce uncertainty and build confidence with regulators, customers, and employees alike. 

As autonomy moves toward certification across the industry, what’s a safety question or edge case that you find yourself thinking about most? 

I probably spend less time thinking about one specific technical issue than I do about the overall interaction between people, technology, and operations. 

Autonomy will continue to become more capable, but aviation has always been a human centered system. Pilots, maintainers, dispatchers, engineers, regulators, and operators all play important roles in maintaining safety.

Forward Looking Statement

The views expressed in this post reflect the personal perspectives of Larry Colby, Merlin's Director of Aviation Safety, and contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995; actual results may differ materially from those anticipated, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements, which speak only as of the date of this post and are subject to the risks and uncertainties described under "Risk Factors" in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Prospectus dated May 13, 2026 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed May 15, 2026.