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NASA Kicks off Testing Campaign for Remotely Piloted Cargo Flights
NASA recently began a series of flight tests with partners to answer an important aviation question: What will it take to integrate remotely piloted or autonomous planes carrying large packages and cargo safely into the U.S. airspace? Researchers tested new technologies in Hollister, California, that are helping to investigate what tools and capabilities are needed to make these kinds of flights routine. (www.nasa.gov) More...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Whether or not the technology is proven, now or in the future, I put this squarely in the "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" category. No thanks...for so many reasons.
A very bad idea. Regardless of how sophisticated we think we are, our adversaries (CCP, etc.) will constantly be trying to compromise us. We have already been taken by surprise with GPS "interference". The stakes are way too high when something the size of a commercial airliner is flying over populated areas. There MUST be at least one, and preferably two, qualified pilots n the cockpit. Beware of government funded enterprises on these projects.
Not “Preferably two”. I think every passenger aircraft with more than 19 passengers needs 2 pilots in case one has a medial issue.
Why stop there? Why not a third, in case the second pilot also has a medical issue, or tries to kill the first pilot. Both have literally happened. Maybe a 4th pilot? Where does it end? How many people do we need to stick up there to protect us from faulty people?
Two is enough. The odds of those other scenarios are pretty low.
In today's busy airspace there will NEVER be a suitable replacement for eyes in the cockpit. We just saw that the other day in LA when a drone hit and took a super scooper out of service. Too many things can go wrong without human intervention on site.