Reliable Robotics Secures $115 Million in Funding to Advance Autonomous Flight Technology Certifications

Aviation startup Reliable Robotics has secured $115 million in new funding, pushing its total valuation past $1 billion. Co-founder and CEO Robert Rose stated that the company is moving closer to getting its autonomous flight technology certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The capital extension includes $90 million in equity led by Nimble Partners and $25 million in debt from Silicon Valley Bank. This brings the startup's total Series D funding to $275 million and overall fundraising to $380 million.

The company was founded nearly a decade ago by former SpaceX engineers, including Rose and CTO Juerg Frefel. Reliable Robotics is pursuing four separate FAA certifications. The first product, continuous autopilot engagement, manages engine startup, taxiing, takeoff, and landing while a pilot uses a cockpit touchscreen.

Rose expects this certification within 18 to 24 months. A subsequent milestone, expected at least three years away, would move the pilot to a ground-control station. The company is also developing a solid-state collision-avoidance radar with no moving parts, targeting certification by the end of 2027. Additionally, the startup is pursuing certification for Reliable Airlines, an Albuquerque-based cargo carrier operating six Cessna Caravans. Nimble Partners founder John Burbank noted that the technology is designed