Bill Watson writes:

I was thinking the other day as to how piloting is already nearing
obsolescence. Things like the Predator have already demonstrated remote
piloting.. a noncom sitting in a bunker in Colorado or something
piloting a aircraft over in Iraq. Autopilots able to fly from chock to
chock are clearly possible if not already demonstrable.

Such systems have already been developed and demonstrated, but they are not
currently cost-effective for commercial air travel.

Nevertheless, the fondest dream of the airlines is that they'll one day be
able to eliminate human pilots. I don't see any insurmountable technical
obstacle that will prevent this.