Emergence of pilotless flight

Pilotless flight is still a few decades away, but technological advances are slowly chipping away at the obstacles to this kind of aviation. Pilotless aircraft have the potential to change the way travelers fly and may become a significant factor in the evolution of flight over the coming years.

Technological and safety concerns about pilotless aircraft will need to be addressed before they can become widely used. Early experiments with pilotless aircraft took place during World War II when radio-controlled aircraft were used as missile decoys, but technological issues made them ineffective. Today’s technology makes pilotless flight possible, but there are still concerns about reliability and safety. While modern jet airliners can fly long distances with minimal human input, they rely on complex computers that act more like actuators than the artificial intelligence required for full autonomy. They cannot adapt like human pilots can and cannot make decisions on their own.

In contrast, pilotless flight is rapidly gaining traction is for military, security and remote sensing applications, both with rotary and fixed wing drones.

Notwithstanding this, our view is that pilotless flight for commercial aviation is not going to happen anytime soon.

A pivot to biofuels and electric powered aircraft

As oil prices continue to fluctuate and the global imperative to move away from fossil fuels and regulating carbon emissions, demand will increase for more efficient aircraft technology. Electric engines are already being used in place of traditional combustion engines in cars and trucks, so it’s only natural that planes will start to utilize this technology as well. That said, there are currently issues related to energy density (the energy stored per unit mass) that need to be addressed before electric aircraft can match or exceed what is currently possible with combustion engines.

Another promising avenue is substitution of conventional jet fuel with biofuels. A number of hurdles still need to be overcome and questions remain as to how sustainable it will be to shift to biofuels at the scale the aviation industry required. Trials have been going on for a number of years, including a well publicised Virgin Atlanctic 747-400 flight back in 2008.

Our view: this remains a challenge for the industry and the pressure from governments is not going to subside.

A post-covid aviation industry is likely to look very different from what it did before

The aviation industry is one of the worst-hit sectors by the pandemic. This is mainly because of social distancing measures that have been implemented to curb the transmission of Covid-19. The air travel industry has always been about large gatherings and close interaction between passengers and staff, but this will likely change post-Covid-19. Travelers will be reluctant to sit next to strangers on a flight or will avoid domestic flights altogether in favor of road trips or self-driving options.

To adapt to these new requirements, the aviation industry will have to adopt a more flexible approach. This may mean that airlines offer uniquely designed packages for each traveler depending on their budget, needs, and expectations. These packages would include offers such as business class seats being sold at reduced prices with guaranteed social distancing, or discounted offers for family vacations that guarantee an empty row on a flight so as not to come into contact with other passengers while traveling.

As travel begins to recover, physical distancing will remain an important consideration at airports and during flights. This means fewer passengers, which in turn means higher costs for the airlines. As a result, the cost of travel for consumers is likely to increase.

New aircraft technologies are helping to address this problem by allowing airlines to carry more passengers at once and make better use of their space. The Airbus A350 has large windows, more overhead storage space and wider aisles than previous generations of aircrafts. Other new features include touch screens in the back of every seat that can be used for ordering food or entertainment; however, this will also require further adaptation from airports and airlines as they grapple with how best to keep these surfaces clean during the boarding process.

Prior to COVID-19, there was quite a drive for airliners to differentiate themselves by offering premium-like services as a standard, to enhance customer experience. Whereas the current need seems to be driving to budget airlines, even “ultra low cost carriers”. Considering the challenges airlines are currently facing, will the ‘premium-as-a- standard’ service offering still remain a priority for airlines to pursue?