Self-flying planes are closer than most aviation and freight pros think. Reliable Robotics CEO Robert Rose breaks down why small aircraft still operate with outdated systems, what true aviation automation requires, and where autonomous cargo aircraft fit in the supply chain.
Rose shares how his time at SpaceX shaped his approach to safety, software and certification — and why he believes aviation has no excuse to stay this primitive.
#AutonomousAviation #CargoAircraft #FreightTech
Reliable Robotics, the autonomous aviation startup founded by former SpaceX software engineer Robert Rose, has raised more than $400 million and is now in execution mode on a FAA-approved roadmap to certify pilotless cargo aircraft, Rose said in an interview at the Up Summit. The company is modifying Cessna Caravans — a workhorse of small air freight — with its own flight computers, actuators, and sensors under a supplemental type certificate, targeting scheduled cargo runs between Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Durango, New Mexico.
The company completed its first series of demonstration flights last month at Albuquerque Sunport under the FAA’s eVTOL Integrated Pilot Program (EIPP), taxiing among commercial air traffic and flying instrument approaches. The next phase, expected to begin next year, will be point-to-point flights between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, eventually with no pilot on board.
The core product is a ground control station built around an off-the-shelf flight management system. An operator programs a route via touchscreen, uploads it to the aircraft, and the plane executes the plan autonomously. The system cannot be commanded to fly into terrain or obstacles, and every flight plan must terminate at a runway parking spot. Critically, there is no autopilot disconnect button and no remote yoke, joystick, or rudder pedals — the ground operator cannot take direct manual control of the aircraft.
“There’s no AP disconnect button. There’s no remote yoke or joystick or rudder pedals or anything like that,” Rose said.
A remote pilot remains in the loop primarily for airspace integration — communicating with air traffic control — but the aircraft is designed to operate fully autonomously if communications are lost, following lost-comm IFR procedures and executing automated collision avoidance maneuvers. The onboard radar covers 220 degrees around the aircraft and 40 degrees up and down, and uses an algorithm called ACAS X to perform evasive maneuvers. Rose noted that Congress is currently considering legislation to mandate ACAS X across the commercial fleet, starting with Part 121 carriers and eventually extending to general aviation.
Rose said the company spent its first six or seven years working with the FAA to define a certification roadmap for autonomous aircraft without an onboard pilot. “The plans are signed off,” he said. “We just need to actually build and deliver the system that is described by these approvals.” Despite its capital raise, he described the business as relatively asset-light because it modifies existing airframes rather than manufacturing new ones, with most spending directed at safety analysis, software engineering, and avionics.
On the question of pilot union resistance — a recurring obstacle for aviation automation — Rose was measured. Reliable Robotics is focused on Part 23 aircraft in Part 135 operations, well outside the scope of major airline labor agreements. He argued that automation will roll out incrementally, beginning with safety-enhancing features such as automated takeoff, landing, and taxiing, before any broader debate over cockpit crew numbers. “I think it’s going to take many years,” he said. “That’s a ways away.”
- Reliable Robotics has raised over $400 million and is modifying Cessna Caravans with autonomous flight systems under FAA-approved supplemental type certificates.
- The company completed its first demonstration flights at Albuquerque Sunport last month and plans pilotless Albuquerque-to-Santa Fe cargo flights starting next year.
- The autonomous system includes 220-degree radar and ACAS X collision avoidance; there is no manual override or remote joystick for ground operators.
This Summary is generated thanks to a transcription of the interview, for the full interview please enjoy the video above.
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Berlin-based Conlio announced a €6.4 million ($7.1 million) funding round on Tuesday for software that verifies road freight documents before forwarders pay carriers and invoice customers. Piton Capital led the round.
Conlio calls that check one of logistics’ most manual processes and says it slows payments and ties up working capital for forwarders and the carriers they hire. The round comes as weakness in European freight markets led Trimble this week to lower its full-year growth forecast.
Haufe Group Ventures joined the round, along with WaVe-X, WALTER GROUP’s venture arm, and F-LOG Ventures, FIEGE’s venture fund. Existing investors System.One, Puzzle Ventures, Booom Ventures, and Yellow also took part. Conlio works with midsize and enterprise road freight forwarders in Germany, the U.K., Spain, and Denmark.
Founder and CEO Claudio Consul said context is what has made the check hard to automate.
“Freight is one of the world’s largest industries, and digitalization has transformed large parts of it. But the industry is full of edge cases and decisions that depend on context, which has made true end-to-end automation difficult with traditional software. AI changes that,” Consul said in the release.
How forwarders check freight paperwork
European road freight runs on the CMR consignment note. Under the 1956 CMR Convention, the note confirms the contract of carriage and is made out in three original copies signed by the sender and the carrier.
Before a forwarder pays a carrier or bills a customer, it checks that the CMR, the proof of delivery, and the carrier’s invoice are complete and correct, according to Conlio. Those documents arrive in different formats and languages, often carry handwritten notes, and are checked against rules that vary by customer, route, and geography.
A single CMR can carry up to four dates, recording when it was issued, when the goods were collected, when they were delivered, and other events in transit. Conlio’s software works out which event each date refers to, then checks it against that shipment’s requirements.
What Conlio claims for forwarders
Conlio says it can automate more than 90% of freight document checks. By the company’s estimate, the software can raise a forwarder’s EBIT by up to 30%, or more than €1 million a year for a forwarder with €100 million in revenue.
But the release does not name customers, disclose revenue, or say how those figures were measured. It also cites a €430 billion European road freight market, a 2025 forecast from Transport Intelligence. The firm’s European Road Freight Transport 2026 report puts the 2025 figure at €440.4 billion and projects 1.6% growth this year.
What drew Piton and WaVe-X
Piton Capital investor Michael Macklin pointed to the team’s grasp of the problem.
“What we liked most about Conlio and Claudio was that they know the problem inside out, from the perspective of their customers, while also having the technologist’s insight on how it can be done differently,” Macklin said.
Consul was previously senior vice president of product at sennder, a Berlin digital freight forwarder valued at more than $1 billion in 2021. The company said he helped build sennder’s product organization as it grew from 200 to more than 1,000 employees.
Thomas Muscher, managing director at WaVe-X, said AI “is moving from pilot projects into the core processes of freight forwarding,” and that the finance back office is one of the areas “where the impact is most immediate.”
Conlio plans to use the money to build out its logistics technology team and expand across Europe.
“Our long-term ambition is to change how money moves across supply chains, and verified freight documents are where this begins,” Consul said.
Why it matters: Two logistics groups’ venture arms now back the idea that forwarders can hand most document checks to software and invoice customers faster. Until forwarders using it report results, the 90% automation rate and the EBIT gains are Conlio’s own estimates.
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The number of workers employed in truck transportation in October was unchanged from September.
That end result in the October report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released Friday, came from two developments.
First, the BLS revised downward its initial figure on truck transportation jobs in September to 1,471,300 from 1,473,100.
And then the BLS’s estimate of truck transportation jobs for October came in at the same number as the revised September figure.
In the last 10 years of data provided by the BLS, it’s the first time in that span that truck transportation jobs were unchanged month-to-month after revisions.
Given that the September figure can be revised one more time before the broader full-year revisions released with the January report, and October can be revised two more times, the parity between the two months might not hold.
Data for August had its final revision for 2026. The BLS dropped the estimate for truck transportation jobs in August by 100.
With the latest revisions, the notable development that occured last month, where truck transportation jobs were more than they were a year earlier, is no longer in place. Last month was the first time since early 2023 that truck transportation jobs were up year-on-year.
But October 2026 jobs are 1,600 jobs less than they were a year ago.
Warehouse was quiet too
The lack of big movement in logistics jobs could also be seen in warehouse employment.
Those figures are often subject to more volatile movement than truck transportation jobs. But in October, they were only down 300 jobs from September.
Where the volatility reared its head again was in the revisions. The initial report for September put warehouse jobs at 1,831,800 jobs. But the latest revision significantly increased that number, putting it at 1,839,700 jobs.
With an almost 4,000 job upward revision for August figures, warehouse jobs in October were essentially unchanged over the prior 12 months. The figure for October 2025 was 1,839,900 jobs, just 700 jobs more than where they came in for October 2026.
No big shift in subsectors
In truck transportation, the subsectors also did not move much.
Data for specific subcategories within truck transportation showed little change. They are published on a one-month lag.
According to the BLS, truckload jobs fell 500 jobs in September from August, coming in at 502,800 jobs. They have been on a small month-to-month climb since March, but that comes after declines in late 2025 and early 2026. The end result is that the 502,800 jobs in September were just 1,500 jobs more than they were a year ago.
LTL jobs followed a similar pattern but with more growth. The 249,500 LTL jobs reported by the BLS for September were 2,200 jobs more than they were a year ago, but were a significant gain over the recent cyclical low of 243,600 jobs reported in February.
Long-term, the data provided by BLS goes back 10 years. And it shows that in September 2016, LTL jobs were 247,400 jobs, which means the industry has added just 2,100 jobs in ten years.
Capacity not coming back
Jason Miller, a professor of supply chain management, saw in those relatively flat numbers for truckload an indication that “any rebound in capacity is very slow at best.”
However, looking to the report that will be issued in February with the full year revisions, Miller said in an email to FreightWaves that he thinks changes in the basic model will result in figures on truckload employment to be revised downward, “based on the more comprehensive administrative records.”
“With this said, the data suggest that amongst establishments that are responding to the BLS survey, we aren’t seeing further declines in capacity,” Miller added.
The broader numbers with their flat month-to-month figure, Miller said, carries a message that “capacity amongst reporting establishments has likewise halted the downward slide and is effectively moving sideways, neither expanding nor contracting.”
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Mexico remained the United States’ largest trading partner in September, with two-way commerce surging 34.2% year over year to a record $96.34 billion.
According to the latest trade data analyzed by WorldCity, Canada ranked second with $64.78 billion in two-way trade, followed by China at $41.1 billion. Mexico accounted for 17.15% of total U.S. international trade during September.
U.S. imports from Mexico totaled $62.24 billion, up 39.6% from $44.58 billion a year earlier. American exports to Mexico increased 25.4% to $34.09 billion, compared with $27.2 billion in September 2025.
The figures reflect a sharp acceleration in cross-border commerce, particularly for manufactured goods, electronics and transportation equipment.
Mexico’s trade growth also outpaced the broader U.S. international trade market, which increased 21.8% year over year to $561.82 billion in September.
The U.S. merchandise trade deficit with Mexico reached approximately $28.15 billion for the month, based on the difference between reported imports and exports.
September 2026: Top US trading partners
| Rank | Country | Total two-way trade |
| 1 | Mexico | $96.34B |
| 2 | Canada | $64.78B |
| 3 | China | $41.10B |
Laredo reclaims top US trade gateway ranking
Laredo, Texas, regained its position as the nation’s busiest international trade gateway in September, handling $38.87 billion in two-way commerce, a 31.2% increase from $29.63 billion a year earlier, WorldCity reported.
The South Texas border crossing overtook Chicago O’Hare International Airport, which fell to second place with $36.08 billion in trade, down 17.9% year over year.
The Port of Los Angeles ranked third at $28.31 billion, followed by the Port of Houston at $22.72 billion and Los Angeles International Airport at $22.53 billion.
Laredo accounted for 6.92% of all U.S. international merchandise trade in September.
Imports through Laredo totaled $26.87 billion, a 40.8% increase from the same month last year. Exports through the crossing rose 13.8% to $12 billion.
Mexico accounted for $38.05 billion, or approximately 98%, of Laredo’s total international trade during the month.
The September figures marked the highest trade value for Laredo for that month since at least 2013, according to WorldCity’s historical data.
Texas border crossings post strong gains
Other U.S.-Mexico border crossings also reported significant trade growth in September.
The Ysleta-Zaragoza International Bridge in El Paso, Texas, handled $16.23 billion in total international trade, an increase of 53.5% year over year.
The Santa Teresa border crossing in New Mexico recorded $7.54 billion in trade, a nearly 248.5% increase from September 2025.
Trade through the Otay Mesa crossing in California reached $6.02 billion, up 5.9%, while Eagle Pass, Texas, handled $3.97 billion, a 5.8% increase.
The Pharr International Bridge in South Texas recorded $3.91 billion in commerce, up 7% year over year.
Why it matters: Mexico’s expanding share of U.S. trade reinforces its role in North American manufacturing and logistics as companies navigate shifting trade policies and supply chain strategies.
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FedEx Corp. has made clear that its future lies with premium B2B logistics services in key industrial verticals that require precision execution, such as automotive, healthcare, aerospace and data centers — not cheap last-mile delivery for online retailers. Add the defense sector to the list of industries the freight transportation giant is targeting for high-margin growth opportunities.
In August, FedEx Dataworks (NYSE: FDX) undertook a sweeping modernization of the U.S. Army’s domestic non-tactical logistics network, supply chain procedures and 23 government-owned and operated industrial facilities that make, repair, overhaul and store military equipment and munitions.
Dataworks is a division that uses analytics, artificial intelligence and digital technology to turn supply chain visibility into actionable intelligence. The real-time data platform harnesses huge amounts of operational signals gathered from millions of parcel and freight shipments to help businesses spot emerging risks early and coordinate responses before they can cause disruptions, optimize shipping routes, improve package tracking and provide supply chain insights. Its capabilities are designed to integrate with a customer’s existing tools and workflows. Dataworks recently began helping Stripe Capital explore how supply chain intelligence could open opportunities for small-and medium businesses to secure financing.
Management has repeatedly said it wants to leverage the company’s two petabytes of data and advanced AI capabilities to better support customers and drive new lines of revenue.
Last month, FedEx Dataworks announced on LinkedIn the hiring of retired Vice Admiral Dion English to be vice president and global lead – defense and government logistics solutions. During his Navy career he held leadership roles across global supply chain and logistics operations. Most recently, he led a multibillion-dollar global logistics enterprise spanning all combatant commands and more than 150 countries.
“This is just one example of our leadership role in logistics orchestration, which we view as a new market opportunity that complements our traditional shipping business. When it comes to physical AI, our network is already one of the most automated in the world,” CEO Raj Subramaniam said about the Army contract on Oct. 28 during the company’s quarterly earnings call.
FedEx has worked with the U.S. government for more than 30 years, including through its current work providing government-wide domestic and international small package delivery through the Next Generation Delivery Service contract. FedEx also provides cargo airlift to U.S. Transportation Command as a longstanding participant in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet.
To meet 21st century threats, the Army is overhauling its Cold War-era funding framework to partner directly with private capital markets and accelerate modernization through its new Strategic Capital Initiative. The project aims to match the Army’s most acute, strategic needs with investable, private sector commercial models to rapidly scale critical infrastructure upgrades — without waiting years for traditional procurement cycles to deliver critical capabilities to the frontline.
FedEx Dataworks logistics and technology experts are leading a team to integrate commercial predictive analytics and time-definite next-day delivery into Army depots with the goal of optimizing stock levels, demand forecasting and transportation routing to ensure soldiers receive parts, munitions and equipment ahead of operational demand, according to an article on the Army’s website.
“We are evaluating transportation routing and modes to cut delivery times across the Army, and transitioning from a dated supply system to a predictive, intelligent network to ensure the warfighter receives critical equipment at the time of need,” said Dave Fitzgerald, deputy undersecretary of the Army.
The Army and FedEx have formed working groups to analyze existing networks, processes and technologies, with a finalized implementation plan for U.S. based industrial sites expected this month.
Securing all the new logistics data is a top priority for the Army, which plans to host the new information system within Google’s highest level commercial cloud. The platform supports FedEx’s tools while integrating with the Army’s existing data systems, under identity management and encryption safeguards required for handling defense-related information.
Public private partnership
Marc Andersen, assistant secretary of the army for financial management and comptroller, also serves as chief investment officer for the Strategic Capital Initiative. He explained to investors and corporate executives in New York last Thursday that the service intends to revitalize industrial property by aligning venture capital and private equity with long-term government demand.
The immediate priority, he said, is for investments in digital computing infrastructure. Under the public-private model, private developers finance and build the facilities on Defense Department property at zero upfront taxpayer construction expense, operating a commercial side to generate steady revenue from these partnerships while providing the Army the potential to secure classified computing capability as in-kind value and surge support during national crises.
Under phase two of the Strategic Capital Initiative, commercial power developers are signing enhanced-use leases to build, own and operate microgrid-capable energy facilities on Army installations.
Andersen also highlighted new conditional lease awards designed to re-shore critical mineral supply chains, converting historical military depots into domestic processing hubs. Under the awards, the Army is establishing lithium processing at Red River Army Depot in Texas, synthetic and battery-grade graphite production at Anniston Army Depot in Alabama and Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas, and processing for boron and heavy rare earth elements, including dysprosium and terbium, at Tooele Army Depot in Utah.
“The United States Army is open for business, and we’re moving out fast,” Andersen told investors.
Walmart supply chain meeting
Meanwhile, Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle met Monday with leaders at Walmart’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and visited the company’s Global Security Operations Center to share best practices on managing complex global supply chains through natural disasters and other disruptive global events. The discussion centered on how large-scale, globally dispersed enterprises maintain real-time situational awareness under those conditions to proactively anticipate disruptions, adapt on the fly and surge critical resources to teams in the field.
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
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