AI-controlled aircraft flew from California to North Carolina for the first time

The Cessna Caravan aircraft made the first ever transcontinental flight under the full control of a neural network. The aircraft flew across the entire territory of the United States — from California to North Carolina — without human intervention in the piloting process.

During the entire route of several thousand kilometers, the artificial intelligence independently performed all operations, including takeoff and landing. Despite the fact that there was an insurance pilot in the cockpit, he never touched the control systems during the flight. During the mission, the aircraft made several refueling landings, which also took place in automatic mode.

The developers noted the high reaction rate of the system: decisions to change course were made in milliseconds, which significantly exceeds the capabilities of the human brain. Along the way, artificial intelligence encountered difficult weather conditions, including thunderstorms and whirlwinds. The neural network dynamically adjusted the route to avoid dangerous areas, without resorting to prompts from air traffic controllers.

The Fifth Element: What makes the Russian Su-57 fighter unique

The new generation fighter has become the star of Airshow China - the first contracts have already been signed at the exhibition in China

On August 14, Mikhail Strelets, director of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, said that a two-seat modification of the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter would make it possible to implement sixth-generation technologies and use the aircraft as an aerial control point for drones. One of the key functions of the new version of the Su-57 will be the development of combat artificial intelligence.