Merlin’s AI-Powered Cessna Makes Autonomous Landing History at Oshkosh
In a landmark moment for general aviation, Merlin, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRLN) has completed what is believed to be the first-ever autonomous landing of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft in the 73-year history of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The milestone flight took place on July 17, 2026, when a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan equipped with the company’s AI-powered Merlin Pilot autonomy platform touched down on Runway 27 at 10:02 a.m. CDT — with no human hands on the controls.
The demonstration, announced publicly on July 20 at the opening of AirVenture, drew widespread attention from the more than 600,000 aviation enthusiasts gathered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the world’s largest aviation event. A safety pilot monitored the flight, but the entire landing sequence was managed by Merlin’s AI system.
Matt George, CEO and founder of Merlin, described the achievement as deeply meaningful: “Many members of our team first fell in love with aviation here, so returning to Oshkosh to complete what we believe is the first autonomous landing of a conventional fixed wing aircraft in EAA AirVenture history makes this milestone especially meaningful.”
Merlin, which listed on NASDAQ in March 2026, is developing its Merlin Pilot as a full-stack autonomy system for both commercial and military aircraft, including an ongoing C-130J program with U.S. Special Operations Command. The aircraft remained on display at Booth #19 during AirVenture, where visitors could also try an interactive flight simulator.
Source: General Aviation News – Autonomous Cessna Caravan Lands at Oshkosh