SpaceX alum’s aviation startup, Reliable Robotics, lands $115M, topping $1B valuation

Reliable Robotics, an aviation startup co-founded by former SpaceX employees, has secured $115 million in funding, propelling its valuation past $1 billion. The Mountain View, California-based company has been developing autonomous flight technology for existing aircraft for nearly a decade. The latest round of financing, an extension of its Series D round, comprises $90 million in equity led by Nimble Partners and $25 million in debt from Silicon Valley Bank. This brings the startup's total funding to $380 million.

Robert Rose, Reliable Robotics' co-founder and CEO, is optimistic about the company's progress. He stated that the team is making steady headway in their efforts to obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for their autonomous flight system. Rose anticipates certification for their first product, continuous autopilot engagement, within 18 to 24 months. This system manages engine startup, taxiing, takeoff, and landing, with a human pilot on board who interacts with the autonomous system via a touchscreen.

Rose also revealed that the company is three years away from the second certification, which would remove pilots from the cockpit and move them to a ground-control station. The third certification, for a solid-state radar developed in-house, is expected by the end of 2027. This radar is a significant innovation, as it has no moving parts, scans the sky at a longer range and higher resolution, and is easier to maintain than conventional systems.

The final certification will pertain to Reliable Airlines, the first airline operating with the autonomous technology. Currently, Reliable Airlines operates six Cessna Caravans, used for cargo delivery six days a week. The FAA certifies the aircraft, but the airline's operations must also meet separate regulations. Nimble Partners founder John Burbank believes that Reliable's technology could revolutionize aviation, as it's not just a one-plane solution but a system adaptable to any airframe.