close
MENU
General Business
5 mins to read

Merlin Labs aiming for autonomous flights in NZ next year

The autonomous flight pioneer hopes to be the first in the world to get certification.

Merlin Innovation is based in Kerikeri where the council helped with setup costs.

AI-powered aviation company Merlin Labs hopes to launch autonomous cargo flights in early 2027 if it succeeds in obtaining certification by the end of this year.

The Boston-headquartered company chose New Zealand in 2020 as the testbed for its AI technology, which will be retrofitted onto large and

Want to read more? It's easy.

Choose your subscription

Already have an account? Login

Smartphone Only Subscription

NZ$29.95 / monthly

Monthly Premium Online Subscription

NZ$49.95 / monthly

Smartphone Only Annual Subscription

NZ$299.00 / yearly

Yearly Premium Online Subscription

NZ$499.00 / yearly

Premium Group Membership 10 Users

NZ$385+GST / monthly

$38.5 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Premium Group Membership 20 Users

NZ$660+GST / monthly

$33 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Premium Group Membership 50 Users

NZ$1375+GST / monthly

$27.5 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Premium Group Membership 100 Users

NZ$2100+GST / monthly

$21 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Yearly Premium Online Subscription + NBR Marketplace

NZ$999.00 / yearly

Individual
Group membership
NBR Marketplace

Student

Exclusive FREE offer for uni students studying at a New Zealand university (valued at $499).
Fiona Rotherham Thu, 29 Jan 2026
Contact the Writer: fiona@nbr.co.nz
News tip? Question? Typo? Let us know: editor@nbr.co.nz
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.

Free News Alerts

Sign up to get the latest stories and insights delivered to your inbox – free, every day.

I’m already subscribed/joined

Free News Alerts

Sign up to get the latest stories and insights delivered to your inbox – free, every day.

I’m already subscribed/joined
Merlin Labs aiming for autonomous flights in NZ next year
General Business,
112670
true