- Robots fly planes all the time these days. Drones aren’t new. But there are few projects looking at how to use what we’ve learned from drones to augment manned flight.
- The project is called Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System, or ALIAS, and it’s funded by DARPA. The test flight was administered by Aurora Flight Sciences which is working with researchers at MIT and Duke.
- When ALIAS is complete, it should be possible to install the robot in many airplane cockpits, even the back seat of a jet fighter.