The latest funding round, an extension of the startup’s Series D, brings their total raised to $380 million. The company is currently focused on an ambitious regulatory roadmap, starting with continuous autopilot engagement. CEO Robert Rose anticipates this system, which manages engine startup, taxiing, takeoff, and landing while a pilot remains onboard, will receive certification within 18 to 24 months. Longer-term objectives include moving pilots to ground-control stations and deploying in-house developed solid-state radar systems, which Rose expects to see approved by late 2027.
Reliable Robotics Hits Billion-Dollar Valuation After $115M Raise
With a fresh $115 million in capital, Mountain View-based Reliable Robotics has crossed the $1 billion valuation threshold. Founded by SpaceX alumni Robert Rose and Juerg Frefel, the startup is now accelerating its multi-year push to secure Federal Aviation Administration certification for its autonomous flight technology across four distinct categories.
Beyond software, Reliable is establishing its own carrier, Reliable Airlines, based in Albuquerque. Operating a fleet of six Cessna Caravans, the airline serves as a testing ground for the company’s tech under FAA operational oversight. Investors are betting that this modular approach—designing systems that can be retrofitted to existing aircraft rather than building new planes from scratch—will set a new standard for the industry. John Burbank of Nimble Partners, which led the equity portion of the funding, emphasized that the startup is creating an essential infrastructure layer for aviation that mirrors the autonomous shifts currently transforming the automotive sector.
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