Trevor Milton, founder of failed electric truck firm Nikola, received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump one year ago. He now leads an investment group that bought struggling SyberJet Aircraft last year. Milton aims to revive the company and build AI-driven autonomous planes. He seeks $1 billion in funding for this project. His goal focuses on creating the first light jet with artificial intelligence flight systems.

Milton hired dozens of ex-Nikola employees to staff the aviation firm. He courts investors from Saudi Arabia to fund the turnaround. The group spent hundreds of thousands on lobbying efforts. They plan a new avionics system from scratch. This system targets defense contracts through advanced AI features.

Milton told the Wall Street Journal that planes challenge him more than trucks did. He said planes prove 10 times harder than Nikola ever was. The report details his push for autonomous flight tech. Investors see potential in AI for light jets.

Prosecutors convicted Milton of fraud in 2022. Nikola went bankrupt after his legal troubles. Trump pardoned him almost exactly one year ago. Milton shifted from trucks to aviation quickly. He bought SyberJet to launch his new venture.

This effort could secure defense deals if successful. AI planes might reshape light jet markets. Milton’s past raises investor caution. His fundraising drive tests his comeback chances. Success opens doors to major contracts ahead.