Ameriflight gains FAA approval for drone cargo ops

[NovemberEcho]

Ameriflight Makes Aviation History With FAA Approval for Large-Scale Drone Delivery Service in the U.S.

Dallas-based Ameriflight plans to operate the Matternet M2 drone for commercial delivery—focusing on health care and e-commerce deliveries to customers in dense urban and suburban environments across the country. The approval will enable what Ameriflight calls "the first fully operational...

dallasinnovates.com

Not only small drones but the Caravan sized, 5,400lbs payload Saberwing UAV.

 

[Victor Squawk]

Perhaps I should research careering in drone tech. I could pilot hover swarms like solving a rubiks cube per equidistance algorithms.

The only thing is that I see drones as a bad idea because I know just enough about cyber security to know that there's nothing secure about it.

I'm not looking forward to the future of drone theft, hijackers, shooting practice, electric fences, no anti-cameras, and litter.

On the other hand I liked the drone in Ghost Recon Wildlands and some cities could get "litter drones" that pick up trash around the city and throw it away.

It could be good, it could be bad. I guess it depends where you live and who's there.

 

[🦈💜]

Perhaps I should research careering in drone tech. I could pilot hover swarms like solving a rubiks cube per equidistance algorithms.

The only thing is that I see drones as a bad idea because I know just enough about cyber security to know that there's nothing secure about it.

I'm not looking forward to the future of drone theft, hijackers, shooting practice, electric fences, no anti-cameras, and litter.

On the other hand I liked the drone in Ghost Recon Wildlands and some cities could get "litter drones" that pick up trash around the city and throw it away.

It could be good, it could be bad. I guess it depends where you live and who's there.

you could always use drones for cropdusting…

 

[mrivc211]

start with small drones, then ask for "waiver" for juuuuuuust a little bit more payload of 10,000 lbs after 2 years of operations followed by a full overhaul allowing transport category aircraft. Watch. This is just the beginning of the end.

 

[ASpilot2be]

start with small drones, then ask for "waiver" for juuuuuuust a little bit more payload of 10,000 lbs after 2 years of operations followed by a full overhaul allowing transport category aircraft. Watch. This is just the beginning of the end.

Everything is the beginning of the end if you look hard enough. The day you were born was the beginning of the end technically. Might as well enjoy the ride and not focus on the negative.

 

[DropTank]

I was told that this technology was 50 years away...

 

[Roger Roger]

It’ll be fine, charging ahead with this technology with literally no thought to the consequences.

Highlights from the RAeS Future Combat Air & Space Capabilities Summit - Royal Aeronautical Society

What is the future of combat air and space capabilities? TIM ROBINSON FRAeS and STEPHEN BRIDGEWATER report from two days of high-level debate and discussion at the RAeS FCAS23 Summit.

www.aerosociety.com

As might be expected artificial intelligence (AI) and its exponential growth was a major theme at the conference, from secure data clouds, to quantum computing and ChatGPT. However, perhaps one of the most fascinating presentations came from Col Tucker ‘Cinco’ Hamilton, the Chief of AI Test and Operations, USAF, who provided an insight into the benefits and hazards in more autonomous weapon systems. Having been involved in the development of the life-saving Auto-GCAS system for F-16s (which, he noted, was resisted by pilots as it took over control of the aircraft) Hamilton is now involved in cutting-edge flight test of autonomous systems, including robot F-16s that are able to dogfight. However, he cautioned against relying too much on AI noting how easy it is to trick and deceive. It also creates highly unexpected strategies to achieve its goal.

He notes that one simulated test saw an AI-enabled drone tasked with a SEAD mission to identify and destroy SAM sites, with the final go/no go given by the human. However, having been ‘reinforced’ in training that destruction of the SAM was the preferred option, the AI then decided that ‘no-go’ decisions from the human were interfering with its higher mission – killing SAMs – and then attacked the operator in the simulation. Said Hamilton: “We were training it in simulation to identify and target a SAM threat. And then the operator would say yes, kill that threat. The system started realising that while they did identify the threat at times the human operator would tell it not to kill that threat, but it got its points by killing that threat. So what did it do? It killed the operator. It killed the operator because that person was keeping it from accomplishing its objective.”

He went on: “We trained the system – ‘Hey don’t kill the operator – that’s bad. You’re gonna lose points if you do that’. So what does it start doing? It starts destroying the communication tower that the operator uses to communicate with the drone to stop it from killing the target.”

This example, seemingly plucked from a science fiction thriller, mean that: “You can't have a conversation about artificial intelligence, intelligence, machine learning, autonomy if you're not going to talk about ethics and AI” said Hamilton.

On a similar note, science fiction’s – or ‘speculative fiction’ was also the subject of a presentation by Lt Col Matthew Brown, USAF, an exchange officer in the RAF CAS Air Staff Strategy who has been working on a series of vignettes using stories of future operational scenarios to inform decisionmakers and raise questions about the use of technology. The series ‘Stories from the Future’ uses fiction to highlight air and space power concepts that need consideration, whether they are AI, drones or human machine teaming. A graphic novel is set to be released this summer.

 

[Hiboglossi]

Well, having a job was nice while it lasted.

 

[Victor Squawk]

you could always use drones for cropdusting…

True and could probably be used to monitor large swaths of land. It can gather real time data on pests, health ot crops, measure soil quality and moisture with built-in GIS, and even map each unique plant in a lot.

There could be a basic core drone that can be fixed with mods so that some could deliver fertilizer or pest deterrents (ladybug zoo) , and just to get really fancy and questionable, some could be given some pruning scissors while another gathers the green waste behind it.

Lots of mods and applications, just have to somehow give the workforce enough gainful employment and skills+knowledge to work the drones, and I agree with the point about ethics.

I don't know how society is going to address public ethics. In my publicly funded education we were taught that existence has neither a purpose nor significance beyond the limit of a life or generation and that "regardless of the real world, I can do anything I want or be anything i want to be".

If the education is roughly the same as back then (half my life ago) then it's better to just brace for the consequences, or get involved to do what you can and guide things in a better direction.

 

[mightynimbus]

...

 

[Victor Squawk]

Related; can also solve the urban transport dilemmas mentioned in this thread:

Thread 'France bans short-haul flights' France bans short-haul flights

However the problem with drones is that it multiplies the scale of "mechanical deterioration" and risk of malfunction. It's more efficient to track the "health" of a single, bigger machine.

Perhaps airplanes will simply evolve but I don't think the demand for airplane travel is going to change for another generation or two.

The need for human operators is ethical but also practical. However it might start to be more customer service oriented than a technically-skilled work.

I'd prefer to take an air taxi if a licensed and experienced human were operating it and I wouldn't want to take the ride further than to a neighboring county.

Regional short haul flights might disappear though. I wonder how that will affect the way thay pilots and dispatchers (and other op support that I don't know about since I am an ignoramus about the full scope of aviation ops) get experience for mainline work (or whatever else is out there).

The relationship with the variously sized airlines might also change. The quantity of airplane pilots might shift or decrease. I don't see why a regional airline would exist, especially if autonomous drones can deliver cargo, and interface with railway systems for that, and urban corners can integrate air taxi (and use rideshare services for that too).

[The image is from a DOT and FAA communication on conceptualization how to regulate and manage urban airspace]

It was on my reading list but I didn't expect that I'd be referring to it again so soon.

 

[mightynimbus]

Related; can also solve the urban transport dilemmas mentioned in this thread:

Thread 'France bans short-haul flights' France bans short-haul flights

View attachment 71958

However the problem with drones is that it multiplies the scale of "mechanical deterioration" and risk of malfunction. It's more efficient to track the "health" of a single, bigger machine.

Perhaps airplanes will simply evolve but I don't think the demand for airplane travel is going to change for another generation or two.

The need for human operators is ethical but also practical. However it might start to be more customer service oriented than a technically-skilled work.

I'd prefer to take an air taxi if a licensed and experienced human were operating it and I wouldn't want to take the ride further than to a neighboring county.

Regional short haul flights might disappear though. I wonder how that will affect the way thay pilots and dispatchers (and other op support that I don't know about since I am an ignoramus about the full scope of aviation ops) get experience for mainline work (or whatever else is out there).

The relationship with the variously sized airlines might also change. The quantity of airplane pilots might shift or decrease. I don't see why a regional airline would exist, especially if autonomous drones can deliver cargo, and interface with railway systems for that, and urban corners can integrate air taxi (and use rideshare services for that too).

[The image is from a DOT and FAA communication on conceptualization how to regulate and manage urban airspace]

It was on my reading list but I didn't expect that I'd be referring to it again so soon.

Moeller Sky Car !!!!!

 

[Victor Squawk]

Moeller Sky Car !!!!!

They haven't updated their website since 2016 but they could be working on something in private to release later.

I wonder if I road trip to their HQ (with permission) if they would let me ride in one.

 

[Minuteman]

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Everything is the beginning of the end if you look hard enough. The day you were born was the beginning of the end technically. Might as well enjoy the ride and not focus on the negative.

"How's your mother?"
"She's on her way out."
"We all are; act accordingly."

 

[CFI A&P]

Everything is the beginning of the end if you look hard enough. The day you were born was the beginning of the end technically. Might as well enjoy the ride and not focus on the negative.

"How's your mother?"
"She's on her way out."
"We all are; act accordingly."

[Insert Mitch Hedberg joke about every photograph is when you were younger.]

 

[DE727UPS]

Wonder if Amflight will have drone flow through to UPS drone airlines.

 

[tcco94]

Who’s ready to listen to Yakob tell us about how the extinction of mankind is right around the corner and 2 billion unemployed, followed by Todd telling us how this technology will be in our 121 cockpits in a matter of weeks. Maybe days! Glad he got out on time!

CYCLE! Rinse! REPEAT!!!

Forums - do your magic! Garlic bread lines anyone??

 

[ASpilot2be]

View attachment 71965


Who’s ready to listen to Yakob tell us about how the extinction of mankind is right around the corner and 2 billion unemployed, followed by Todd telling us how this technology will be in our 121 cockpits in a matter of weeks. Maybe days! Glad he got out on time!

CYCLE! Rinse! REPEAT!!!

Forums - do your magic! Garlic bread lines anyone??

I am having to use this way too often.

 

[tcco94]

View attachment 71966

I am having to use this way too often.

I read more doom here than APC. But this community is smaller so we all know eachother on here based on our posting past. So it’s usually some CC drama, Todd telling everyone how stupid they are, Yakob going off about how the govt will exterminate the population one day, some other side chatter that only 4 people understand… the usual