Reliable Robotics Pursues FAA Certification for Network-Agnostic UAS Datalink System

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 03, 2026
Reliable Robotics is advancing the certifiability of its safety-critical command-and-control datalink system for uncrewed aircraft, using industry collaboration, standards work, and active flight testing to demonstrate the ability of remotely piloted aircraft to operate within the National Airspace System and existing airport infrastructure.

The Mountain View, California company's C2 Link System is designed to be network-agnostic, supporting connectivity between aircraft and remote pilots, shared traffic awareness among UAS, and direct communication between aircraft and Air Traffic Control. The system supports cooperative separation automation and is compliant with FAA standards for Control and Non-Payload Communications links.

Reliable's automated Cessna C208B Caravan is configured to operate in all classes of airspace under Instrument Flight Rules. During such operations, a remote pilot bears responsibility for aircraft safety and efficient integration into the NAS by responding to clearances and instructions from Air Traffic Control.

The C2 Link System is built with two satellite communications vendors. Iridium, operating in Low Earth Orbit, and Viasat, in Geostationary orbit, each provide decades of safety-critical service heritage that includes FANS, CPDLC, ADS-C, and satellite phone communications. Satcom terminals compatible with both networks establish multiple CNPC datalinks to ensure availability, continuity, low latency, and integrity. For high-density environments such as airport terminals, Reliable integrates air-to-ground datalinks from uAvionix, which has worked for more than a decade within domestic and international aviation and spectrum communities to secure dedicated spectrum for UAS command-and-control links.

"Uncrewed aircraft don't need new infrastructure at airports to fly -- the proliferation of satellite-based connectivity through the market creates an environment where UAS can communicate and safely integrate into the NAS," said Brandon Suarez, VP of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Integration at Reliable Robotics.

The system is being built to satisfy requirements in RTCA DO-377B. Reliable is contributing operational data to two RTCA working groups developing consensus standards for C2 link systems, and is working directly with the FAA through flight simulation and ongoing flight testing to demonstrate integration with existing FAA voice communications infrastructure.

The company is also preparing for airspace integration under Digital Flight Rules, a modernized framework that would allow all aircraft operators -- crewed and uncrewed -- to use advanced automation technologies for safety and operational efficiency.