Airbus exploring single-pilot, autonomous plane in tech race


  • TECH
  • Wednesday, 22 Nov 2017

(FILES) This file photo taken on July 01, 2014 shows the fist copy for test of the 200 medium-haul Airbus A320neo passenger plane leaving its hangar at the Airbus plant in Saint-Martin-du-Touch, near Toulouse, southern France. Airbus said on November 15, 2017 it has secured the biggest-ever order in its history to supply 430 of its medium-range A320 family of aircraft to US investment firm Indigo Partners, at a catalogue price of USD 49.5 billion (42 billion euros). The order is for 273 A320neos and 157 A321neos, the revamped and more fuel efficient version of Airbus's most popular single aisle passenger jet, the A320. / AFP PHOTO / ERIC CABANIS

Airbus SE is looking to develop autonomous aircraft and technologies that will allow a single pilot to operate commercial jetliners, helping cut costs for carriers, chief technology officer Paul Eremenko said. 

“The more disruptive approach is to say maybe we can reduce the crew needs for our future aircraft,” Eremenko told Bloomberg Television’s Yvonne Man in an interview broadcast on Wednesday. “We’re pursuing single-pilot operation as a potential option and a lot of the technologies needed to make that happen has also put us on the path towards unpiloted operation.” 

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