Merlin Labs Raises $105m Series B, Announces Partnership with USAF

Merlin Labs, the leading developer of autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, announced today that it has raised a $105 million Series B round from Snowpoint and Baille Gifford, with major participation by Google Ventures, JS Capital, and First Round. The round follows Merlin’s 2021 $25 million Series A round led by GV and First Round Capital, bringing its total funding to $130 million to date.

In the year since the company’s emergence from stealth mode, it has achieved several significant milestones that have cemented it as the definitive autonomy system for legacy aircraft, validating its “crawl-walk-fly” approach with regulators and partners.

In September 2021, Merlin Labs announced that it had achieved approval of its certification basis for takeoff to touchdown autonomy system as part of a joint project with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) — the first of its kind in the world.

Also in 2021, the company announced a partnership with Dynamic Aviation as part of its launch, bringing autonomy to the world’s largest fleet of Beechcraft King Airs, and then announced its partnership with Ameriflight, the largest Part 135 cargo airline in the United States.

In addition to these milestones, Merlin Labs also announced today a partnership in the form of an eight-figure contract with the United States Air Force to bring autonomy to the service’s C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, the most-used cargo platform in the fleet. Mirroring its civilian applications, Merlin will help the Air Force enhance safety and operational flexibility.

Merlin’s software will enable a wide range of autonomous applications, including crew reduction, and eventual uncrewed flight, allowing for increased safety in the face of a global shortage of pilots.

The company is hiring.

About Merlin Labs

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