4 ms·

Aren't drones (at least the more sophisticated ones, akin to modern fighters/bombers) 100% remotely controled by human pilots?

by lgieron 13y ago

jlgreco 13y ago
Probably to a similar extent as airliners these days, though without the pilot actually sitting in it. They can take off and land themselves, though they still have a human sitting around (probably reading a paperback most of the time.)
- thedrbrian 13y ago
  Are we talking drones or passenger aircraft? Passenger aircraft definitely don't auto takeoff and don't really use auto land. See http://www.boston.com/community/blogs/askthepilot/2013/03/the_five_most_annoying_myths_a.html http://www.boston.com/community/blogs/askthepilot/2013/03/th... and http://www.askthepilot.com/cockpit-claptrap/ http://www.askthepilot.com/cockpit-claptrap/
  - jlgreco 13y ago
    Autolandings may or may not be common in airliners, but my understanding of drones is that "The pilots are flying the plane through the automation" is in strong effect.
sandfox 13y ago
They can (and often are), but some of the drones are capable of completely computer controlled take off and landing. I remember seeing somewhere that the human drone pilots caused more crashes when landing than the computer controlled ones.
dmckeon 13y ago
The technical and popular terms are at odds, and currently tend to reflect whichever element the user wishes to stress: UAV - Uninhabited Air Vehicle - no "man in the can" UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - same RPV - Remotely Piloted Vehicle - we still have pilots! drone - military: target, towed or on auto-pilot drone - media: mindless non-human automaton From the description of Buran's flight, it sounds like a mostly pre-programmed auto-pilot from de-orbit to landing. The technology is impressive for the late 1980s, no matter what it is called.
cynwoody 13y ago
Not the latest ones. The trend now is to give a drone a flight plan, not to fly it. For instance, the X-47B is designed to perform such delicate maneuvers as taking off from and landing on aircraft carriers and performing in-flight refueling automatically. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/07/x47b/ http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/07/x47b/ It has a wearable remote control for carrier crews to use to direct it while on deck.

Aren't drones (at least the more sophisticated ones, akin to modern fighters/bombers) 100% remotely controled by human pilots?

by lgieron 13y ago

Aren't drones (at least the more sophisticated ones, akin to modern fighters/bombers) 100% remotely controled by human pilots?

jlgreco 13y ago

Probably to a similar extent as airliners these days, though without the pilot actually sitting in it. They can take off and land themselves, though they still have a human sitting around (probably reading a paperback most of the time.)

thedrbrian 13y ago
Are we talking drones or passenger aircraft? Passenger aircraft definitely don't auto takeoff and don't really use auto land. See http://www.boston.com/community/blogs/askthepilot/2013/03/the_five_most_annoying_myths_a.html http://www.boston.com/community/blogs/askthepilot/2013/03/th... and http://www.askthepilot.com/cockpit-claptrap/ http://www.askthepilot.com/cockpit-claptrap/
- jlgreco 13y ago
  Autolandings may or may not be common in airliners, but my understanding of drones is that "The pilots are flying the plane through the automation" is in strong effect.

sandfox 13y ago

They can (and often are), but some of the drones are capable of completely computer controlled take off and landing. I remember seeing somewhere that the human drone pilots caused more crashes when landing than the computer controlled ones.

dmckeon 13y ago

The technical and popular terms are at odds, and currently tend to reflect whichever element the user wishes to stress: UAV - Uninhabited Air Vehicle - no "man in the can" UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - same RPV - Remotely Piloted Vehicle - we still have pilots! drone - military: target, towed or on auto-pilot drone - media: mindless non-human automaton From the description of Buran's flight, it sounds like a mostly pre-programmed auto-pilot from de-orbit to landing. The technology is impressive for the late 1980s, no matter what it is called.

cynwoody 13y ago

Not the latest ones. The trend now is to give a drone a flight plan, not to fly it. For instance, the X-47B is designed to perform such delicate maneuvers as taking off from and landing on aircraft carriers and performing in-flight refueling automatically. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/07/x47b/ http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/07/x47b/ It has a wearable remote control for carrier crews to use to direct it while on deck.