SelfFlying

A Canadian air cargo startup called Ribbit is planning to test pilotless flights for deliveries in remote areas of the country, Northern Ontario Business has reported. The company signed a $1.3 million contract with Transport Canada and Innovative Solutions Canada to start autonomous test flights "over the next 12 months," the company said. "Many rural and remote areas are served by larger airplanes that fly infrequently," CEO Carl Pigeon said in a press release earlier this month. "Ribbit takes a smaller aircraft and…

Boeing Co.'s chief executive officer says it's a matter of when — not if — self-flying planes will debut in commercial aviation. The planemaker's autonomous flight technology being developed for military applications will eventually appear on commercial aircraft in the future, Dave Calhoun said in a Bloomberg TV interview. “Autonomy is going to come to all of the airplanes eventually,” Calhoun said on the sidelines of an event commemorating the final delivery of its iconic 747 jumbo jet in Everett, Washington. “The…

Autonomous aircraft are around the corner with more software and sensor developments The aviation industry is the front-runner of autonomous vehicles. It has long beat the automotive sector in the race of autonomy. People feel comfortable with the implication of self-driving vehicles when they grow fond of the concept of autonomy.  The self-flying planes are already on use with the help of flight plan created by pilots. But, they can’t act beyond that. For example, if a pilot takes off the seat-belt sign, there are…