Autopilot holds risks:
Pilots rely so much on computer systems to do most of the flying that they may be unprepared to take control if something goes wrong, experts say.
WASHINGTON — Pilots are becoming so reliant on computer systems that do most of the flying in today’s airliners that on the rare occasions when something goes wrong, they’re sometimes unprepared to take control, according to aviation safety experts and government and industry studies.
Increasing automation has been a tremendous safety boon to aviation, contributing to historically low accident rates in the U.S. and many parts of the world.
But automation has changed the relationship between pilots and planes.
Pilots today typically use their “stick and rudder” flying skills only for brief minutes or even seconds during takeoffs and landings. Mostly, they manage computer systems that can fly planes more precisely and use less fuel than a human pilot can. But humans simply aren’t wired to pay close and continual
said they can’t be used for commercial uses. Schulman is currently challenging that regulation before a federal administrative-law judge on behalf of a client who was using a radiocontrolled aircraft to shoot video for an advertising agency.
Autonomous flights like Amazon is proposing, without somebody at the controls, are also prohibited.
The FAA is slowly moving forward with guidelines to allow expanded use of drones but has had numerous delays. Many of the commercial advances in drone use have come out of Europe, Australia and Japan.
“The delay has really been to the disadvantage of companies here,” Schulman said. “Gener- ally, the government wants to promote the advancement of science and technology. In this case, the government has done exactly the opposite and thwarted the ability of small, start-up companies to develop commercial applications for this revolutionary technology.”
Amazon spokeswoman Mary Osako said the company has been in contact with the FAA “as they are actively working on necessary regulation.”
Though it may be years before it’s reality, drone-powered delivery fits with the company’s plan to make delivery as convenient — and fast — as possible.
One of the biggest promises for civilian drone use has been in agriculture.
The unmanned aircraft can fly over large fields and search out bugs, rodents and other animals that might harm crops. Then, because of GPS, another drone could come back and spread pesticide on that small quadrant of the field.
Besides regulatory approval, Amazon’s biggest challenge will be to develop a collisionavoidance system, said Darryl Jenkins, a consultant who has given up on the commercial airline industry and now focuses on drones.
Who is to blame, Jenkins asked, if the drone hits a bird and crashes into a building? Who is going to insure the deliveries?
There are also technical questions. Who will recharge the drone batteries? How many deliveries can the machines make before needing service?
“Jeff Bezos might be the single person in the universe who could make something like this happen,” Jenkins said. “For what it worth, this is a guy who’s totally changed retailing.”