Merlin’s Certification System Bench increases systems-on testing time and enables remote testing by company’s distributed team

Merlin, the aviation technology company developing the world’s most capable pilot to advance the future of automated flight, today announced the completion of the design and build of the company’s Certification System Bench, which was built to the fidelity required for certification testing. The Certification System Bench is a flight test simulator with both certifiable software and hardware components that allows Merlin to constantly test its advanced automation systems from its Boston headquarters. Unlike traditional in-flight testing, the Certification System Bench can be utilized irrespective of weather, maintenance schedules, and pilot availability. Further, Merlin’s Certification System Bench features cameras that provide remote accessibility and testing abilities for Merlin’s distributed, global team, and also includes three screens that represent the pilot deck as well as accurate instrument panels and primary flight displays.

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Merlin Completes Design and Build of Certification System Bench to Accelerate Company’s Path to Supplemental Type Certification (Photo: Business Wire)

“In many ways, the Certification System Bench acts as a testing ‘funnel.’ It allows us to test hundreds of cases with speed and ease, selecting edge cases to take to in-flight testing. As a result, we’re able to reduce the use of our test aircraft and keep it for limited cases only,” said Sherif Ali, Chief Engineer for the certified Merlin Pilot project. “With pilots on the Certification System Bench, we are able to learn multitudes about human factors while gaining accreditation towards our STC. This was a material investment for the company, which is wise. No other company in the sector has put more resources towards this type of testing simulator, but we see it as critical in order to exceed our certification timeline targets.”

The Certification System Bench represents a significant investment for Merlin as it provides a true, one-to-one replica of the company’s in-flight technology. Equipped with the same software and hardware components, the Certification System Bench supports Merlin’s methodical developmental approach by enabling greater precision and speed, and ultimately expedites Merlin’s path towards its supplemental type certification (STC) as ground tests on the Certification System Bench are accredited by regulatory authorities. Further, the Certification System Bench allows for greater accessibility and routine testing for Merlin’s global team – alleviating test flight inhibitors such as weather and aircraft maintenance, which can increase as the pace of testing accelerates.

“Ensuring the Merlin Pilot is robust, safe, and reliable is our top priority, which underscores this System Bench build as a huge milestone in Merlin’s certification journey. It took the team six months to design, vet solutions for, and build the Certification System Bench to extremely stringent specifications,” said Matt George, CEO and founder, Merlin. “While the simulator costs millions of dollars more than our actual aircraft, it can run continuously and without constraints to collect data that rapidly accelerates our certification program.”

About Merlin

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Boston, with additional offices in Denver, Kerikeri (NZ) and Mojave, Merlin is building the definitive autonomy system for all things that fly. To learn more, visit www.merlinlabs.com or follow us on Twitter @merlinaero.

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