I've been flying like this on X-Plane for ages

[edwin]

A plane that can be flown without pilots is being tested out in preparation for its maiden flight in shared UK airspace later this year.

The plane, a BAE Systems Jetstream aircraft - The Flying Test Bed - is being put through its paces in a series of at least 20 flights over the Irish Sea and through UK airspace.

Although it will be pilot-free during the tests, there will be people on board able to take the controls if the need arises.

The aim of the trials is to demonstrate to regulators such as the Civil Air Authority and air traffic control that such aircraft, known as Uninhabited Air Vehicles, will be able to be used safely in UK airspace.

The tests are part of a long-term research project called Astraea - a name which stands for Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation & Assessment.

This month's trials will include "the world's first use of autonomous, vision-based weather-avoidance routing and the first UK surrogate flight of a fully functional visual sense-and-avoid system which includes collision avoidance tests using a second aircraft", a statement from Astraea explains.

The man responsible for the £62m project is Lambert Dopping-Hepenstal, BAE Systems' engineering director.

He says there is potentially a large market for civil unmanned aircraft able to undertake tasks that are either too dull or too dangerous on which to risk lives

.http://uk.news.yahoo.com/plane-without-pilot-trial-over-uk-114122038.html

Edited June 17, 2012 by edwin