Autonomous aircraft are critical to the success of urban air mobility (UAM), according to NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine who shared the agency’s vision for the emerging sector during the EAA Spirit of Aviation virtual event in late July. “You can actually make the argument that in the future it's going to be safer to fly an uncrewed aircraft than crewed aircraft,” he said while outlining NASA’s programs to support what the agency now refers to as advanced air mobility to avoid the impression that the new generation of eVTOL aircraft will only have roles in urban areas.
Bridenstine, a former congressman and U.S. Navy F-18 pilot, pointed out that sophisticated detect-and-avoid technologies, including 360-degree sensors aboard future autonomously piloted aircraft, will provide “better capabilities than what a human has” when it comes to avoiding midair or terrain collisions. “I know it sounds crazy, but it is absolutely true,” he said.
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