We are pushing closer towards regulatory approval as Merlin secures an Experimental Certificate of Airworthiness from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ). With this certification Merlin is authorized to conduct certification flight testing of our takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy platform in New Zealand. This significant step advances Merlin’s supplemental type certificate (STC) program and accelerates its path to regulatory approval and commercial deployment.

This milestone follows Merlin’s initial certification groundwork laid in September 2021 that received approval from both CAANZ and the FAA–establishing the first-ever certification basis for an autonomous flight system. Today’s certificate brings this effort into its final phase, advancing Merlin’s STC program and authorizing experimental flight testing. The CAANZ will participate in a risk management and intelligence capacity, underscoring the agency’s increasing confidence in Merlin’s ability to safely and reliably operate its autonomy platform within a controlled environment.

Additionally, test pilot approvals secured in New Zealand allow Merlin to run concurrent flight tests across multiple aircraft, accelerating development timelines and increasing data collection capacity. It’s a meaningful boost to the certification process that brings Merlin’s platform closer to readiness for commercial deployment.

“This certification in New Zealand represents a strong vote of confidence from CAANZ and is a major technical milestone in our certification journey,” said Matt George, CEO and founder of Merlin. “The testing carried out in the region plays a crucial role in advancing the maturity of our platform and directly supports in-air operability and certification efforts not only with the CAANZ, but also with the FAA. With extensive testing underway in both regions, we’re accelerating the ability for our autonomy platform to enhance the safety of aviation operations globally.”

This progress builds on the foundation we’ve laid in New Zealand, where we opened our Kerikeri-based test facility in May 2023. Since then, we’ve achieved several key milestones:

• Stage of Involvement 1 (SOI 1), putting Merlin on a viable path to certification in 2023.
• Part 135 Air Operator Certificate, supporting future operational freight routes.
• Part 145 Maintenance Certificate, allowing Merlin to conduct maintenance on aircraft operated by Part 121 and Part 135 organizations.

With both CAANZ and the FAA engaged, we’re pushing forward faster and with greater precision, bringing autonomous aviation from concept to commercial reality.