The Future of Flight Takes Center Stage: What Merlin Is Bringing to Oshkosh 2026

The next chapter of aviation is preparing to make a high profile appearance at Oshkosh.

AirVenture dedicates July 21 to the future of flight this year, and it’s one of the show's most anticipated themed days, with electric aircraft, autonomous systems, and advanced drones sharing the spotlight on Boeing Plaza. And Merlin will be right in the middle of it all at Booth #19.

Oshkosh's own history goes back to 1953, when a small gathering in a Milwaukee parking lot grew into what is now the world's largest aviation celebration. Autonomy has quietly had a home there for longer than people might expect, from the Air Force Research Laboratory's autonomous aircraft research at the International Federal Pavilion to the growing presence of next-generation flight technology on Boeing Plaza. That’s the tradition Merlin steps into this year, not as a newcomer chasing a trend, but as part of a throughline that has been building for years.

Earlier this week, we introduced you to some of the people who make that tradition personal for our team: engineers, pilots, and recruiters who grew up down the road from Wittman Field or found their calling walking its flight line for the first time. That same energy is exactly what we're bringing to Oshkosh this year.

What Merlin is Bringing to the Plaza

This has been a milestone year for Merlin, and Oshkosh is where we get to share it in person. Earlier this year, the team completed the Critical Design Review for the C-130J autonomy program with U.S. Special Operations Command, a milestone in the program’s maturation, validating the system’s design readiness and advancing Merlin from design development into aircraft integration activities. We also recently unveiled Merlin Pilot for Commercial Cargo, which aims to bring its aircraft-agnostic AI-powered autonomy core to commercial transport, starting with cargo aircraft. Merlin Pilot for Commercial Cargo is part of Condor, Merlin’s new product family for large, multi-crew aircraft, which would apply the Merlin Pilot autonomy core across both civil and military platforms, from Part 25 aircraft to military transports such as the C-130J. Condor is the first product family Merlin is planning to bring to market utilizing the Merlin Pilot platform.

These are some of the latest steps in what are working toward: a single, aircraft-agnostic solution for autonomous aviation from takeoff to touchdown, meeting both defense and commercial needs. Oshkosh is where that work gets to meet the people it is being built for, pilots, engineers, veterans, and the next generation of aviators who will decide what autonomy in aviation looks like for decades to come.

Find Us at Booth #19

If you are heading to Wittman Regional Airport this year, come find Merlin at Booth #19 on Boeing Plaza. The team will be glad to talk about the C-130J program and where autonomy is headed next across defense and commercial aviation.

You can also check out one of our own planes equipped with the Merlin Pilot, or see the Merlin Pilot in action on our custom flight simulator. 

Just a few short days away, and the countdown is on.

This post contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements, which speak only as of the date of this post and are subject to the risks and uncertainties described under “Risk Factors” in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Prospectus dated May 13, 2026, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed May 15, 2026.