New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has awarded Part 145 maintenance certification to Merlin, a Boston-based company developing autonomous flight technology for reduced-crew operations in military and commercial airplanes. The Part 145 certificate, which Merlin announced on April 3, authorizes the company to conduct aircraft maintenance for Part 121 and Part 135 operators in New Zealand. 

Merlin obtained its CAA Part 135 air operator certificate in February 2024, enabling it to begin commercial freight operations in New Zealand. For those Part 135 cargo operations, the company is flying ordinary airplanes to collect data that will inform the development of the Merlin Pilot autonomous flight control system. 

“This certification demonstrates the high regard in which Merlin is held by regulators, underscoring both our credibility and our commitment to implementing autonomy in a way that upholds the industry’s high safety standards,” said Grant Crenfeldt, CEO of Merlin’s New Zealand subsidiary. “Obtaining this certification is not just about maintaining aircraft—it also demonstrates our commitment to lead aviation innovation, paving the way for a future in which our skies are safer and more resilient.”

In 2023, Merlin opened a test facility at Kerikeri in the Far North District of New Zealand’s North Island to support its development and certification efforts. It partnered with Freightways New Zealand to fly cargo to rural communities in the region while simultaneously collecting data for the Merlin Pilot. 

Merlin aims to make the Merlin Pilot available for retrofit under supplemental type certificates for a variety of legacy aircraft, including the Cessna Grand Caravan, Beechcraft King Air, and Twin Otter. It is seeking bilateral approval from the CAA and the U.S. FAA for the supplemental type certificates that will allow it to begin Merlin Pilot installations.

It has been working with the U.S. Air Force to test reduced-crew capabilities in the KC-135 Stratotanker and C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft. The company says its roadmap includes a subsequent Merlin Pilot-equipped F-16 fighter jet.