alt Hacker NewsAutopilot in planes does not handle takeoff. Pilots still do that. Traditional autopilot was mostly just to keep the plane flying straight. Capabilities have improved over time, but it still doesn't fly the plane the way Waymo drives itself.
Replies
altairprime • today at 5:22 AM
I like the use of “autonomous” to describe the intended outcome of “pilotless” here:
https://newatlas.com/aircraft/airbus-attol-autonomous-airlin... (2020)
empressplay • today at 2:27 AM
787s can both takeoff and land on autopilot. They can't handle taxiing to and from the gate, however.
Some planes can land automatically without the pilot's input: https://avbrief.com/autoland-saves-king-air-everyone-reporte...
Takeoff is probably easier to automate than an emergency landing.