Cessna 208B Caravan was provided by FedEx
Aircraft automation company Reliable Robotics has successfully completed the first ever unmanned flight on a Cessna 208B Caravan (tail number N927FE). It was provided for testing by FedEx.
The flight took place on November 21 at Hollister Municipal Airport in Northern California near San Jose in coordination with the US Federal Aviation Administration. Cessna Caravan took to the skies without a pilot and without a single person on board.
The female operator was at the command post in Mountain View, California, 80 km from the test site. However, she did not have aircraft controls on the table – only a keyboard, mouse and headset for communication with the dispatcher.
Reliable said that the aircraft was equipped with an autonomous flight system, which not only provides remote control, but also «increases safety by fully automating the aircraft at all stages of operation , including taxiing, takeoff and landing».
To make unmanned flight a reality, Reliable Robotics partnered with Cessna Caravan manufacturer Textron Aviation. According to Chris Hearne, Textron's senior vice president of engineering and programs, the company is committed to continuous improvement in aviation, and our relationship with Reliable Robotics advances that work. em>».
The experiment conducted by Reliable Robotics marks an important milestone for the industry in introducing new technologies into aviation.