Autonomous Cessna Caravan Air Ambulance To Be Tested By U.S. Military

US Africa Command has contracted Merlin Labs for a $500,000 demonstration of autonomous casualty evacuation using a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan fitted with its Merlin Pilot system. Planned for Morocco in early US fiscal 2027, the trial will cover mission tasking, flight planning, autonomous departure, transit to an austere collection point, simulated patient loading and return landing. The Caravan will carry an air-ambulance module providing oxygen, electrical power and patient-monitoring mounts, while autonomy software is designed to manage route changes and communications contingencies. The event will evaluate a potential capability; it is not an operational military medical-evacuation service.