Textron and Merlin unveil pilot-optional SkyCourier concept

Built on the twin-engine Cessna SkyCourier, the design explores forward-loading cargo architecture and unimproved-runway operation for dispersed forces.

Textron and Merlin are developing a concept version of the Cessna SkyCourier, combining the twin-engine turboprop's certified airframe with Merlin's autonomous flight software for military cargo missions. The Cessna SkyCourier UX was shown at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference as the two companies examine ways to sustain forces operating from dispersed and contested locations.

The concept is designed to fill a gap between small tactical cargo drones and larger military transport aircraft, offering autonomous take-off and landing alongside a payload capacity of around 6,000 pounds, sufficient for up to three LD3 cargo containers. It is built to operate from unimproved runways, supporting hub-to-spoke distribution, resupply of expeditionary bases and delivery of medical supplies or repair parts to remote locations.

Design work under evaluation includes a forward-loading cargo architecture that replaces cockpit volume with additional cargo space, accessed through a large nose opening. Combined with kneeling landing gear and integrated loading systems, the layout is intended to improve cargo accessibility and maximise usable volume for operations from austere sites.

“The future of contested logistics needs more capacity and access to places we wouldn't risk a crew,” says Matt George, chief executive and founder of Merlin. “Merlin Pilot has already flown hundreds of autonomous flights on Cessna Caravans, Beechcraft King Airs and other aircraft. This concept pairs it with a proven platform, the Cessna SkyCourier, to explore what an aircraft could look like when it's designed around autonomy and cargo instead of a crew.”

Bob Gibbs, vice president of defence and special mission sales at Textron Aviation, says military planners are increasingly focused on sustaining forces across distributed and contested operational environments, and that the concept reflects work on practical responses to real-world sustainment challenges using certified products adapted for new roles.

Because the underlying platform is FAA-certified and already in production, the concept draws on an established manufacturing system and support network. Merlin's ongoing work will include engineering studies aimed at building confidence in autonomous and pilot-optional resupply operations. A model of the SkyCourier UX was displayed publicly for the first time at the conference.