Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Look, no hands! Airbus nails autonomous takeoff in move toward pilotless jets

 

Maybe you’re cool with the idea of taking a trip in a driverless car. But how about flying in a pilotless plane?

Recommended Videos

Airbus believes highly autonomous passenger jets will one day be a thing, with the European aerospace giant already heading in that direction.

In fact, this week Airbus revealed that it recently achieved the first fully automatic vision-based takeoff using a test aircraft at Toulouse-Blagnac airport in France.

Just like most autonomous-car tests, the aircraft had a couple of trained pilots at the controls just in case something went awry during the eight takeoffs that took place across a single day last month.

“The aircraft performed as expected during these milestone tests,” Airbus test pilot captain Yann Beaufils said in a report on the aircraft maker’s website.

Describing the initial test, the pilot said: “While completing alignment on the runway, waiting for clearance from air traffic control, we engaged the auto-pilot. We moved the throttle levers to the takeoff setting and we monitored the aircraft.  It started to move and accelerate automatically maintaining the runway centerline, at the exact rotation speed as entered in the system. The nose of the aircraft began to lift up automatically to take the expected takeoff pitch value and a few seconds later we were airborne.”

The takeoff was enabled by image-recognition technology installed directly on the aircraft. Looking ahead, the plane maker is aiming to test automatic vision-based taxi and landing sequences by the middle of 2020.

Airbus says its overriding aim is not to build a pilotless plane, “but instead to explore autonomous technologies alongside other innovations in areas such as materials, electrification, and connectivity.”

In other words, in a similar way to how we’re seeing autonomous technology gradually added to cars, any move toward full autonomy with airplanes is going to take a very long time to happen.

While many airplanes are already able to fly themselves for the most part, extra autonomy could help airlines to tackle the aviation industry’s growing pilot shortage as aircraft that currently use two pilots could operate with just a single “safety driver,” though regulators — and indeed passengers — may take some persuading.

Rival plane maker Boeing has also said it believes in “self-piloted aircraft” that would enable a gradual reduction in the number of crew members. Boeing executive Steve Nordlund said in 2018 that for it to happen, “a combination of safety, economics, and technology all have to converge, and I think we are starting to see that.”

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more