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Merlin Labs demonstrates first autonomous landing of conventional aircraft at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
Merlin Labs completed a fully autonomous landing of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan at Runway 27 in Oshkosh at 10:02 AM CDT on July 17, 2026, during EAA AirVenture. The company claims this was the first autonomous landing of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft in EAA AirVenture history.
- Landing demonstrated Merlin Pilot autonomous capabilities on a production aircraft under real-world conditions.
- Takeoff-to-landing autonomy is essential for the C-130J program development and future operations.
- Public demonstration provides validation ahead of larger military aircraft integration.