Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeke
One thing you can say for a freeway or beltway is that everyone is going the same direction on the same plane a lot of the times between barriers. Take 2 factors, or even 1 of the first 2 out of the equation, and you have chaos. Sure, computer power will help, but....
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For commuter purposes, the last 25 to 50 miles, there is a lot of work being done with fuel cells, batteries, a combination of the two, etc.
Flight in the national airspace for unmanned systems is a reality now and will become more so...governed by the FAA. Just like manned aircraft, there will proscribed routes and altitudes, flight following, etc.
Again, the redundancies in unmanned systems is simply amazing. They do what you tell them to do and can be programmed to recommend autonomy in certain cases. I will have no problem being in a pilot-less aircraft.
Concerning accidents and the like: The standards for unmanned commuter aircraft will not change just because the air vehicle does not have a pilot onboard. They will be certified aircraft to the same standards as manned transport aircraft.
Frankly, the electric motors driving the industry are so reliable they make jet engines jealous.
Ducted design is the way to go for safety, efficiency and noise abatement.