The energy cost during operations is very relevant, too, which is why you see things like tilt rotor designs with wings/bodies to generate lift. When Airbus wa

The energy cost during operations is very relevant, too, which is why you see things like tilt rotor designs with wings/bodies to generate lift. When Airbus was doing the math on these a few years ago, the pilot cost was also one of the main concerns, so it was "autonomous or bust", and they ended up investing a lot on the autonomous side (not just the aircraft but also urban traffic management, etc).