Many firms chasing autonomous ground-vehicles have relied on SPACs to reach the public markets, and now Merlin Labs wants to bring autonomy to the skies. The Boston-based startup is developing an AI-powered “pilot,” the Merlin Pilot, designed to manage full “takeoff-to-touchdown” flights across a wide range of aircraft, from light planes to heavy transports.

This week, we talk with Merlin Labs CEO Matt George about why the company sat out the first wave of SPAC-driven aerospace mania, and why partnering with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. IV (Nasdaq: BACQ) feels like the right moment to go public.

Matt explains that, in aviation, the use cases for autonomy can be more immediate and valuable than on the ground, from reducing crew needs on cargo and transport flights to enabling fully uncrewed operations in military and civil aviation.

We also explore the broader macro conditions driving demand higher, and where the market for autonomous flight stands today. How fast could it grow, and how high could it fly?