Story ID: 025a
Exploring Advances in Autonomous Flight Technology
By: Jessica Reed
Caption: How automating aircraft is changing the aviation industry
Word Count: 1984
Autonomous flight is at a pivotal juncture, marked by groundbreaking advancements and the promise of transforming air travel and cargo services. Industry-wide efforts signal a future where autonomous technology not only enhances safety and operational efficiency but also reinvigorates regional connectivity, potentially reshaping the landscape of air transport for passengers and cargo.
The evolution of autonomous flight in general aviation reflects a dynamic journey. This evolution is characterized not only by remarkable technological advancements but also by a gradual and deliberate integration of autonomous technologies. “General aviation is the incubator of technology,” according to Walter Desrosier, v-p of engineering and maintenance at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). 
He noted that general aviation includes a wide range of products, types of operations, and use cases. “In that, there's a very broad safety continuum: we can do a lot more, and we can build experience,” he said. “Initial applications and initial use might be strictly recreation [or] experimental, and then it can build from there to low-risk types of operations.” This progressive trajectory includes not only enhancing pilot assistance but also laying the groundwork for fully autonomous aircraft.
Honeywell's strides in compact fly-by-wire systems and the development of its adaptable Anthem system exemplify this shift. Its technology focuses on enhancing pilot interaction with the aircraft, improving safety and operational efficiency. Similarly, Rotor Technologies’ approach to retrofitting existing helicopter fleets with autonomous systems epitomizes the industry's adaptability. Rotor Technologies is accomplishing this not only through innovation but also through compliance with existing regulations and the facilitation of a smoother transition to autonomous operations. This is crucial in an industry where safety and regulatory compliance are paramount.
Xwing’s contribution further underscores this evolutionary trend. The company's focus on completely automating flight operations—from takeoff to landing, without pilot intervention—signals a significant leap towards full autonomy. “One of the major things that we've been focusing on over the past year is making sure that we're building a modular technology that we can then apply to other vehicles,” explained Maxime Gariel, president and chief technology officer at Xwing. The company’s work in certifying AI and machine learning applications in aviation offers a glimpse into a future where autonomous flight is not just a possibility but a reality.
According to Desrosier, “Machine learning is a big part of helping equipment and technology make those decisions, different from how a person traditionally makes those decisions.” For GAMA, “Machine learning isn't quite at our doorstep yet,” he added. “I think it's at the R&D stages.”
Moving from enhancing pilot capabilities to the development of fully autonomous aircraft signifies more than just technological advancement; it represents a paradigm shift in aviation. Each step change, from improved safety mechanisms like advanced autopilots and envelope protection systems to the visionary concept of pilotless flights, marks a critical phase in this ongoing evolution. These developments not only promise increased safety and efficiency but also foreshadow a future where aviation is more accessible and connects remote communities.
Rotor Technologies' integration of autonomous technology into existing helicopter fleets enhances the capabilities of proven airframes but also is aimed at accelerating the adoption of autonomous technology in the aviation industry. “There’s not a lot of autonomous flight technology out there. We’re hoping to change that,” the company’s founder and CEO, Hector Xu, said.
Rotor's engineering includes redundancy with no single point of critical failure. A key aspect of its system is human-supervised autonomy, where a remote operator, who is a certified pilot, oversees the operations. This blend of advanced technology and human oversight addresses both the technological challenges and the safety concerns inherent in autonomous flight, particularly in the developmental stages.
Honeywell is pushing the boundaries with its development of compact fly-by-wire systems and advanced actuators. These systems are critical in improving the precision and responsiveness of aircraft controls, essential factors in autonomous flight. Additionally, Honeywell's modular flight deck—Anthem—is a testament to its forward-thinking approach, the company says. Andrew Barker, v-p of avionics, explained that the company has designed “a platform that's very expandable and can grow as regulations and as customer needs continue to develop.” 
Xwing's Gariel mentioned that the company is working with the FAA on building a framework for certifying machine learning software. “Nobody has certified machine learning so far,” he said. “We are proposing a framework that deals with the entire certification—not just how to show that the neural network [works], but what is the performance, how to manage the data to train it, how to show that it works all the time.”
 Safety and Reliability
For autonomous technology to move forward, developers must be able to ensure and demonstrate safety and reliability. Rotor Technologies said it places a strong emphasis on operational mitigations and rigorous testing to ensure the safety and reliability of its autonomous helicopters.
“Operationally, at least in 2024, this aircraft is going to be operating under waivers and exemptions in airspace over unpopulated areas, without any people on board,” commented Ben Frank, chief commercial officer at Rotor, saying this is part of its risk management strategy,  “There are a bunch of operational mitigations. It’s important to us to control the risk. It’s new technology, and we want to be thoughtful in how we build it.”
The company conducts extensive safety analysis work, considering various failure scenarios and building mitigation strategies for each. This proactive approach to safety is rooted in the founders’ personal motivations and experiences. One of the founders’ close calls in a rotorcraft inspired a commitment to improving safety in light helicopters, driving the development of technology that could prevent similar incidents in the future.
Honeywell’s compact fly-by-wire systems and advanced actuators are underpinned by a suite of safety features. A key aspect of its safety approach is the incorporation of triple-redundant dissimilar hardware designs and lockstep processing.
Xwing conducts a comprehensive safety analysis that is integral to its development process. The company’s approach to safety involves anticipating and mitigating a wide range of potential failure conditions. “Part of our framework is an operational hazard assessment where we’re showing in an extensive manner where are we going to be operating, what are all the hazards that we could encounter, and how we are going to address those hazards to make sure that we are flying safely,” Gariel explained.
Xwing employs redundancy methods in critical functions, such as using both lidar and cameras for object detection, ensuring that if one system fails, another can provide backup. This layered approach is crucial in its quest to remove the pilot from the cockpit, requiring the system to handle every contingency autonomously. Xwing's operational safety assessments encompass various scenarios, including adverse weather conditions and unexpected obstacles.
Regulatory Navigation and Collaboration
Navigating the regulatory environment and fostering collaborative efforts are crucial for the successful integration of autonomous flight technologies into the aviation industry. Rotor Technologies adopts a strategy that harmonizes with existing airspace regulations while actively collaborating with the FAA. 
“There are definitely still open questions with the FAA—policy questions of how to integrate uncrewed aircraft into the national airspace system,” Rotor’s Frank remarked. “Our approach is, in the near-term, to deploy this technology as soon as is practical and safe in these hazardous missions using the pathways that exist today.”
Honeywell is navigating the regulatory environment through active collaboration with both regulators and OEMs. Barker pointed to Wisk, which is working on a self-flying eVTOL aircraft, saying that these efforts are beneficial for the entire industry and “forces the hand on moving that forward.”
GAMA’s role in the industry provides a unique vantage point to understand and influence the regulatory framework. “From an engineering standpoint, if you think about full autonomy, there still has to be systems designed, equipment designed and integrated into the aircraft to manage those flight controls,” said GAMA’s Desrosier.
“I think where we're at with autonomy is similar to where we were at with drones eight or 10 years ago, and where we were at with eVTOL five years ago,” commented David Dunning, director of global information and policy for GAMA. “We're just now beginning more meaningful discussions with civil aviation authorities around the world to start diving into what this means as far as future requirements.”
Xwing’s engagement with the FAA, particularly in proposing frameworks for certifying machine learning, marks a significant step in regulatory progress. “The key priority is to get to certification,” Gariel said. “We are continuing to make very strong progress demonstrating to ourselves and the FAA that the technology is safe.”
Industry Impact
Autonomy will not only revolutionize the technical aspects of flight but also reshape the operational and commercial landscapes of aviation. And the journey to full autonomy is as much about technological advancement as it is about societal and industry readiness.
Rotor Technologies focuses on specific mission applications where autonomy can make a substantial difference, such as firefighting and crop dusting. Autonomous flight technology can perform hazardous tasks, reducing risk to human pilots and potentially changing the dynamics of these critical services.
Honeywell's perspective on the evolution towards autonomous flight is one of incremental development. Barker acknowledged the technological feasibility of full autonomy but emphasized the importance of public acceptance and gradual integration into the industry. Honeywell’s developmental strategy illustrates a roadmap where each step towards autonomy not only enhances safety and efficiency but also builds public trust and regulatory confidence in autonomous systems.
The impact of autonomous technology extends to the regional air cargo sector and the broader aviation industry. Gariel of Xwing envisions a future where autonomous flight technology enhances connectivity, especially for remote communities currently underserved by traditional aviation routes. By automating cargo flights, Xwing anticipates a significant reduction in operational costs and an increase in service frequency and reliability.
Looking Ahead
Rotor CEO Xu envisions a future trajectory for autonomous flight that is intertwined with significant safety enhancements. He expects autonomous systems to be integrated into light aircraft, transforming them into safer and more efficient modes of transportation.
As Desrosier of GAMA explained, “We're talking about a regulatory policy environment—not only [for] the hardware and how to certify this new piece of equipment. Now we're tying it into the regulatory and policy environment for the pilot, training, and operations. That's a much more complex regulatory policy environment that we're looking to change.”
He added, “A lot of the technologies we've introduced over the decades did not have that broad of an impact. When we talk about autonomy, we have to address it holistically: address it on the engineering and the design side, the pilot and the training side, the operations, and airspace integration. That's a much bigger challenge—to look at all of those things simultaneously to enable and facilitate the introduction of increasing autonomy into our airspace.”
Xwing’s perspective focuses on the immediate priorities and challenges they face in certification and technology development. The challenge lies in the novelty of their technology—certifying artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in aviation is uncharted territory.
Barker of Honeywell expects to see significant advancements in autonomous flight in the next five to 10 years. “We've already got autopilots that can fly the aircraft through nearly every single phase of flight,” he said. What needs to happen to enable full autonomy is “putting all those technologies together, adding things like the communication, autonomous detect-and-avoid.” He predicts a timeline of about 20 years to fully explore what is possible with autonomous aircraft.