Is there a pilot in the cargo plane? - No...
Last month’s successful flight of a Cessna 208B Caravan performed by Reliable Robotics with no one on board was a first for aviation. A remote pilot supervised the uncrewed aircraft from the Californian company's control center 80 km away.
The Reliable autonomous flight system also improves safety by fully automating the aircraft through all phases of operation including taxi, takeoff, and landing.
The Caravan, and other regional cargo aircraft like it, are essential in connecting communities and businesses. With a useful load of over 1,300 kg and a takeoff performance to operate from shorter runways, they deliver time-sensitive shipments to many places that would otherwise not have a next-day or same-day service. Remote piloting will allow even more areas to benefit from this critical service. (ah)