NASA has launched a series of trials to determine whether large packages and cargo can be transported across the United States, either remotely or autonomously.
In November 2024, NASA and Reliable Robotics were able to successfully fly a remotely-controlled Cessna Caravan on an FAA-approved route through the Hollister, California area. Even though a safety pilot was onboard the physical aircraft, they were in full control of the C208 from their office in Mountain View, just over 50 miles away.
“Remotely piloted aircraft systems could eventually deliver cargo and people to rural areas with limited access to commercial transportation and delivery services,” said Shivanjli Sharma, aerospace engineer at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. “We’re aiming to create a healthy ecosystem of many different kinds of remotely piloted operations. They will fly in a shared airspace to provide communities with better access to goods and services, like medical supply deliveries and more efficient transportation.”
Credit: NASA/Don RicheyAt the same time, they also evaluated a Collins Aerospace ground-based surveillance system to determine whether it could accurately provide information about nearby traffic and feed it to the Mountain View control center.
The system actively surveilled the airspace during the aircraft’s taxi, takeoff, and landing, and transmitted this data in real time to the remote controller in order to help them remain clear of other traffic in the area. These types of systems are necessary as they will need to prove to the FAA that aircraft controllers can avoid hazards and coordinate with nearby pilots.
This is just the first in a long series of trials for 2025 as they plan to work with other partners to test weather services, communications systems, and other autonomous capabilities for remotely piloted flights.
If remote controlled tech makes it the commercial lime light, carriers will most likely use it for cargo, as well as small air taxi transport. Regulatory agencies will most likely require even more stringent measures for the transport of passengers at a mass scale, and I’m sure they would like to see this tech proving itself for some years before considering scaling up its use for larger jetliners.
Featured image: NASA/Brandon Torres Naverrete
