Orval Fairbairn wrote:
In article
e.rogers.com,
Icebound wrote:


C J Campbell wrote:


I was wondering, do UAV operators have pilot certificates? What kind of
training do they get covering aviation regulations, airspace, etc.?



Why would they? It is all automated, isn't it? :-)

If not immediately, then certainly pretty soon. If any inflight
programming is to be done, it would be results-oriented and would let
the computer determine the method. Operator only says: "I want to go
there". All the flight rules, already in the drone's computer to get
"there" safely.

Excellent for TFR patrol: boundary violation? Automated-Follow of Rule
1a: Open up the cannon.

The neat thing is that once pilotless becomes well-established, piloted
flight may be forced to comply with the pilotless rules. In order to
operate securely, pilotless would probable require that the piloted
planes be similarly equipped with whatever transponders, automated
data-telemetry, etc., etc..., that would be deemed necessary for
compatibility in the same airspace...




Not bloody likely in the US, at least! AOPA, EAA and otheres would raise
holy hell over that kind of proposal -- and they should!

But GPS has made it so EASY :-)

http://www.insitugroup.net/Pages/atlantic.html (and look at the date)

Program in the waypoints and a destination, get the flight started and
tell the autopilot: "GO". With just about the sophistication than you
already have today, you can then pretty well shut off the communication
link to the aircraft, until it is 100 feet off the ground at
destination, and at some airports you probably don't even need it then.

Oh, this is coming, all right. They will build up hours in remote
applications such as the coastline surviellance or forest fire
applications, and then some enterprising statistician will show how the
reliability rate compares with piloted flight. It remains to be seen
whether the reliability will compare well or badly.