Britten-Norman, the Isle of Wight-based aircraft manufacturer and aviation services provider, believes that pilotless passenger aircraft will be a reality in the skies above us by 2030. The company believes by 2025 it will have introduced aircraft featuring an “autonomous co-pilot” and that the jump to fully pilotless planes could then come within another five years.
Britten-Norman believes that aircraft that offer an autonomous mode option which will give operators the ability to offer uncrewed and piloted flights will be key to making regional flight networks more affordable in future. As well as pilotless technology, the company is also working on zero-emissions electric aircraft, which will significantly cut fuel costs, making short haul flights more cost efficient.
The biggest hurdle to reducing the number of pilots in a plane, believes the company, is the likely concerns of passengers. The British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) has also remarked on this likely bottleneck, commenting that passengers want the “confidence of knowing that the controlling pilot is on board with them facing the same risks”.
As a body representing pilots, there is a strong argument as to why Balpa might be somewhat biased towards the need for piloted aircraft. But it is also relatively clear that it is likely to take some time before the average passenger is comfortable with the idea of taking a fully automated flight. A 2018 survey found that 63% of passengers thought they would be “unlikely to fly in a pilotless plane”. 52% also said they would have reservations about flying in a single-pilot aircraft.
Britten-Norman will, the company announced yesterday, be developing pilotless technology in partnership with Blue Bear, a British autonomous flight specialist. The partnership aims to develop an autonomous version of Britten-Norman’s Islander aircraft, which is a twin-engine utility aircraft utilised for passenger flights, cargo and search-and-rescue operations. The model can carry up to 9 passengers and is able to take off and land from short runways. It currently operates commercial routes between Scottish islands.
The team commented:
“Eventually the system will allow the Islander to take off, fly and land without any human input but the first milestone will be an automated co-pilot which can advise its human operator.”
A change in regulations will also be required alongside the development of the necessary technology before fully automated flights can become a reality. Passenger jets have mainly flown on autopilot for as long as half a century, though by law a pilot and co-pilot still have to be present and are more involved during take-off and landing.
But Britten-Norman is confident that the goal of full automation “should be realised within this decade”. If it is, it will go a long way towards helping regional air transport overcome the economics which mean it often relies on government subsidies to be commercially sustainable. The company commented:
“Regional air transport will have to incorporate zero carbon and autonomous technology to make operations affordable and scalable.”