U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today toured Reliable Robotics at Albuquerque International Sunport to see how this American innovator is unlocking the future of flight. Along with the City of Albuquerque, Reliable Robotics was selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in March to participate in the Department’s Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).
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Reliable Robotics CEO and Co-Founder Robert Rose speaks with Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy about the company’s first-of-its-kind aviation autonomy technology. Photo by Campbell Bishop.
This first-of-its-kind pilot program allows Reliable Robotics to test its autonomous regional cargo aircraft and explore the benefits this type of service could provide to rural communities. The company’s retrofitted general aviation planes—with proprietary autonomous safety technology, including a Reliable-built radar—are expected to begin test operations in August 2026.
“Under President Trump, the future of flight is right around the corner. By unleashing American innovation, we are revolutionizing how people and products move. The data from this pilot program will help the FAA finalize essential regulations and safely integrate this technology into the airspace,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “I want to thank Reliable Robotics for being at the cutting edge of aviation innovation and for their focus on serving small, rural communities. Once operational, their company will help us transport products faster and more affordably.”
“We’re at an incredibly exciting time in aviation. Secretary Duffy and the entire administration are committed to building national competitiveness through aviation innovation that will enhance safety and connect more communities with air service,” said Reliable Robotics CEO and co-founder Robert Rose. “Reliable’s participation in the eIPP allows us to leverage this moment by accelerating our FAA certification progress and direct path to commercialization. Safety-enhancing aircraft autonomy will prevent the most common causes of aviation accidents, improve operational efficiency, and bring a new generation of connectivity and access.”
“Albuquerque has long been a launchpad for innovative aerospace technologies. Partnering with Reliable Robotics through the eIPP to bring remotely-piloted regional air cargo operations to New Mexico will bring benefits to our community and those nearby,” said City of Albuquerque Economic Development Director Max Gruner.
During his visit, Secretary Duffy also highlighted the $26 million investment to modernize the air traffic control system at ABQ. Through August 2028, the airport will replace copper telco with fiber, install new voice switches, radars and radios, switch from paper flight strips to electronic ones, and deploy a state-of-the-art training simulator.
Additional Information:
Under President Trump’s Unleashing Drone Dominance Executive Order, Secretary Duffy and the FAA selected eight projects across 26 states to be part of the eIPP, creating one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft in the world. The eIPP is accelerating innovations safely so America can improve how people and products move.
In December, Secretary Duffy and the FAA launched the nation’s first-ever advanced air mobility (AAM) strategy to unlock the future of flight. The Strategy and accompanying action plan outline 40 recommendations to safely and efficiently support AAM operations.
About Reliable Robotics
Reliable Robotics is bringing certifiable autonomy to commercial and defense aviation. The company’s automation system is designed to work on any aircraft, in any airspace, and to directly address the most common causes of aviation incidents. Reliable’s vision is to transform the way we move goods and people around the planet with safer, more affordable and more scalable air transportation. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, CA and has a distributed global workforce. Learn more at https://reliable.co, and connect on LinkedIn, YouTube, and X.
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