A PLAN for pilotless aircraft to begin operating routinely from ordinary airports in the US is being greeted with alarm by aviation safety campaigners. They say such operations would put at risk the safety of other planes, passengers on the ground and people living near the airports.
The plan, which also involves giving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) easier access to US civil airspace, is the result of a powerful partnership led by the Pentagon, NASA, Lockheed-Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing. Called Access 5, the group aims to loosen restrictions on where UAVs can operate within 5 years.
For most of…
