Self-flying cargo plane takes off in California

An AI-powered, self-flying plane has made its first successful test flight over northern California. The Cessna 208B Caravan, operated by Reliable Robotics, took off, made a few laps around the sky and returned safely to the ground without a single person onboard, although a remote pilot was supervising the test flight and was capable of taking over should the AI rebel against its programming. A previous test flight in 2019 saw a much smaller Cessna 172 Skyhawk fly itself, although that particular plane is too small to be of practical use as an AI cargo plane, whereas the Caravan can carry over a ton in payload. CEO of Reliable Robotics Robert Rose recounted the run as a ‘boring, uneventful thing,’ which is precisely the kind of reliable robotics Reliable Robotics is relying on. Textron Avionics, who collaborated with Reliable Robotics on building the plane, called it a ‘milestone for the industry.’ There was no indication, however, that they were developing AI baggage handlers, which most people would view as a necessary improvement.