FormerSpaceX

Reliable Robotics

Autonomy systems that let existing aircraft fly without a pilot on board.

Founded
2017
Headquarters
Mountain View, CA
Disclosed funding
$294M
Status
Operating
Sector
Mobility & Aviation
Latest round
—
Reported valuation
$1B
Website
reliable.co

Overview

Reliable Robotics retrofits certified aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan with autonomy and remote piloting, and launched Reliable Airlines for cargo. Both founders spent years at SpaceX: Robert Rose led Falcon 9 flight software and Juerg Frefel ran hardware development.

Funding

At least: $134M through 2025 plus a $160M round. Reported valuation: $1B (2026 (reported)).

Disclosed funding is the sum of publicly reported rounds found in the sources below. It is a floor, not a complete total.

Founders

Robert Rose, Co-founder & CEO
At SpaceX: Director of flight software · 5.5 years
Juerg Frefel, Co-founder & CTO
At SpaceX: Senior hardware development manager · 9.5 years
autonomous aircraftcargo

Sources

  1. Citybiz: Reliable Robotics raises $160M
  2. Fast Company: SpaceX mafia is just getting started
  3. Business Insider via Yahoo: The SpaceX Mafia is here

Last verified September 30, 2026.