Tech

Planes without a pilot?: new tech redefines the future of flying

Published

3 years ago

May 31, 2021

Natasha Schapova

autonomous flight technology with Merlin labs

New autonomous flight startup says the sky will soon be filled with pilotless planes

Merlin Labs, the Tesla of planes

Aviation technology startup Merlin labs recently announced they’ve secured $25 million in funding for the development of their pilotless planes.

The company recently struck a deal with aviation services contractor Dynamic Aviation, with potential to expand their tech to commercial flights.

“What we’re working on is creating a truly autonomous digital pilot”
Merlin Labs CEO Matt George

As part of this deal, Merlin Labs will supply its autonomous flight technology to 55 of the contractor’s King Air aircraft. The company says it’s already conducting test flights with the first King Air plane.

Merlin Labs CEO Matt George said the company’s goal is to be able to fly planes totally unmanned. The new technology will use enable existing aircraft to “fly autonomously,” he said.

How does the technology work?

The autonomous flight technology that allows Merlin’s aircraft to fly without a pilot is pretty simple, George says.

“The reason that that autonomy up in the air is so much easier is that you have complete vision, at least in the United States, of everything that’s up in the sky, with ground based radar,” he said.

Merlin says it envisions the role of remote pilots as supervisory, monitoring dozens of aircraft in the sky at once. George says the “vast majority of tasks” will be left to autonomous software, including communication with air traffic control and navigation.

https://twitter.com/ShrugCap/status/1397608842100449283?s=20

Safety of autonomous flying

Merlin Labs “doesn’t believe in remote piloting”. If the aircraft loses signal with the remote operator, then you would have “a huge chunk of metal hurtling through the sky,” he told The Verge.

It may come as a surprise that this autonomous flight technology is not quite as new as it seems. It’s actually quite common for planes to have some level of autopilot capability.

In 2016, the Department of Transportation’s Inspector General released a damning report. It called out the FAA for failing to ensure pilots receive enough training in manual flying.

George believes that pilotless planes will increase the overall safety of flying. This comes amid ongoing safety investigations into Tesla’s autopilot feature.

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Natasha Schapova

Natasha is an Associate Producer at ticker NEWS with a Bachelor of arts from Monash University. She has previously worked at Sky News Australia and Monash University as an Online Content Producer.

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News

Tesla’s robotaxi reveal sparks excitement

Published

4 days ago

October 11, 2024

Ahron Young

Analysts and investors are eagerly awaiting Elon Musk’s big reveal—a fully functional autonomous vehicle that could revolutionise ride-hailing.

Tesla’s stock has soared 52% since Musk first announced the event in April, reflecting high hopes for the launch of its much-anticipated robotaxi.

The vehicle, dubbed the “Cybercab,” is said to be a sleek, two-seater without a steering wheel or pedals—straight out of the future.

Tesla also teased a ride-hailing app that will summon these driverless cars to pick up riders at their chosen locations.

Not convincing

But not everyone is convinced—some analysts warn that while Musk’s vision is bold, the timeline for these innovations may not deliver immediate results.

Musk has a history of overpromising on autonomous tech, and this event might be more about grand ideas than tangible products.

Tesla first floated the robotaxi idea in 2016, with Musk hinting at a future where owners could lease their cars to others for extra income.

If the software keeps pace with Musk’s ambitions, the future of driverless Teslas might be closer than we think.

Money

Amazon’s 2024 Prime Day expected to make huge impact on tech sector sales

Published

6 days ago

October 9, 2024

ticker NEWS

Market experts believe Amazon’s upcoming event will drive a surge in sales, benefiting Amazon’s stock and boosting consumer tech companies that sell through its platform.

Experts predict that a short-term rally in retail and tech stocks could be seen as revenue spikes.

Founder/CEO of Unearthing Opportunities, and Board Advisor to Power Hero, Bradley A Gastwirth joins to unpack the latest market moves. #featured #trending