Remotely piloted aircraft could be technologically capable of carrying passengers and cargo as early as 2025, with further automation ultimately eliminating the need for even ground-based pilots, according to a report by financial services company UBS Limited.1
However, technological know-how alone will not be enough to get pilotless aircraft into the skies, according to the report, which said changes in the attitudes of potential passengers, as well as development of a strong regulatory framework, would be necessary before pilotless aircraft are added to the world’s airspace.
“The aerospace and defence (A&D) sector has already explored for two decades the opportunity of unmanned flight and fully autonomous planes (without ground-based control),” said the report, published in August. “The technology to remotely control military drones already exists, and this technology could be adapted to control civil applications, such as helicopters, general aviation, s…
