US military to test autonomous medical evacuation flights in Morocco
The US military is preparing a demonstration in Morocco of an autonomous medical evacuation flight, scheduled for early December. Merlin Labs has secured a $500,000 contract to test a Cessna capable of reaching a pickup zone, taking on a simulated casualty and returning without a pilot’s intervention.
A plane takes off, reaches a remote area to pick up a casualty, then returns to base and lands without a pilot at the controls. This is the scenario the US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) hopes to test in Morocco. US company Merlin Labs announced on Wednesday, November 11, that it had been selected to carry out the demonstration.
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The $500,000 contract covers the first phase of a program focused on the autonomous evacuation of casualties. The aircraft selected is a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, a utility plane equipped with the Merlin Pilot system. According to information published by the company, the test is scheduled to take place in Morocco at the beginning of the 2027 US fiscal year, or in early December 2026, according to details provided to investors.
The planned mission will replicate the different stages of a medical evacuation. After receiving its instructions, the aircraft will have to prepare its route, take off and reach a pickup point. Once there, a simulated patient will be loaded on board. The aircraft will then make the return trip and land, still under the control of its autonomous system.
An aircraft able to continue its mission without a radio link
Merlin Pilot’s distinctive feature is that it operates on board the aircraft. Unlike remotely piloted drones, which rely on a link to a ground station, the system is designed to make certain decisions directly on board. It is designed to alter its route in response to danger, communicate with air traffic control and continue on its authorized flight plan if communications are lost.
The Cessna will also be adapted for medical transport. Its large cargo door and flat floor will make it easier to load a casualty on a stretcher. A medical module will provide oxygen, electrical power and mounts for patient-monitoring equipment.
AFRICOM’s goal is to reduce evacuation times in African regions where medical facilities are far away and communications are difficult. According to Merlin, this type of aircraft could also limit crews’ exposure to danger during missions in remote areas.
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This new trial adds to other aviation programs announced in Morocco. In early November, the US military had already selected the kingdom to host tests of counter-drone technologies in February 2027. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is also working on autonomous navigation systems for uncrewed aircraft.
