Reliable Robotics, an aviation startup founded by former SpaceX engineers, has secured $115 million in funding, pushing its valuation beyond $1 billion. The Mountain View-based company, led by CEO Robert Rose and CTO Juerg Frefel, both SpaceX veterans, is focused on developing autonomous flight technology that can be integrated into existing aircraft. This recent financing is part of an extended Series D round, including $90 million in equity led by Nimble Partners and $25 million in debt from Silicon Valley Bank, bringing the round’s total to $275 million and the company's overall funding to $380 million.

The company is advancing toward Federal Aviation Administration certification on multiple fronts, a major step for technology adoption in the tightly regulated aviation sector. Its initial product is an autonomous system that manages critical flight phases such as engine startup, taxiing, takeoff, and landing while a pilot remains onboard to supervise through a touchscreen interface. Rose anticipates this foundational system will obtain FAA certification within 18 to 24 months, setting the stage for larger-scale deployment.

Looking further ahead, Reliable Robotics aims to achieve certification for full pilot removal from the cockpit, with control transferred to a ground-based station, though this milestone is expected to take at least three more years. The startup is also developing a cutting-edge solid-state collision-avoidance radar system, designed in-house to provide high-resolution, long-range scanning without moving parts. This innovative radar addresses recent aviation safety concerns by helping prevent collisions both in the air and on the ground, with certification targeted for the end of 2027.

Reliable Robotics operates its own airline, Reliable Airlines, based in Albuquerque, using six Cessna Caravans to fly cargo missions six days a week. The FAA must certify both the autonomous technology and the airline’s operations, a complex process that reflects the broader industry effort to integrate autonomous flight systems. Investors like Nimble Partners see transformative potential in this technology, believing it could reshape aviation similarly to how autonomy is revolutionizing the automotive sector.