Several companies are attempting to create autonomously flying vehicles. But it's going to be a long time before those changes come for passenger flights. Pilots will still have a role in flying aircraft for the foreseeable future, but what that role looks like might change dramatically.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/autonomous-planes-certification
3 Comments
Autonomously flying taxis are already here in China. This article offers reassurance for pilots that they won’t be replaced, but it seems like a lot of companies are trying to do exactly that. Will there still be pilots in 20 years?
It will require insurance and hefty fees in 20 years to human anything in transport.
I doubt it. I spent quite a bit of time in the USAF and with working with the USAF drone sector once I was civilian; in short, even they see the writing on the walls. Drone pilots, while requiring extensive training, do not need the same type of training as an actual pilot.
Furthermore, the training is more akin to practicing flight controls on a commercial flight sim, with the controls being as “robust”. IMO, the future of flight will not involve pilots, or rather, a crew that is monitoring the drone controls for efficiency and safety.