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![](http://www.engineering.com/Portals/0/BlogFiles/DesignerEdge/0414/DARPAALIAS.jpg" alt="darpa, air force, autopilot, UAV, UUV, " align="right" width="300" height="196" style="border: none; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px;) Military aircraft might be on their way to a more
Military aircraft might be on their way to a more automated future as the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) seeks to replace human pilots with a complex and competent autopilot system.
Named the Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS), the new DARPA project’s goal isn’t to completely supplant human pilots, but to dramatically reduce the crew required for each plane to a single operator. Partially a product of slashed military budgets and the need to consistently advance tactics, the US Department of Defense sees this system as critical to commanding a strong, versatile air force.
Envisioned as a removable kit that could be integrated into any craft, the ALIAS system would help a lone pilot deal with in-flight system failures, conduct maneuvers and increase flight safety. In addition to those duties the new autopilot would also be built to complete all flight and fight functions, leaving a craft’s pilot to make mission-level command decisions while controlling the craft from a touchscreen interface.
“Our goal is to design and develop a full-time automated assistant that could be rapidly adapted to help operate diverse aircraft through an easy-to-use operator interface,” said Daniel Patt, DARPA program manager. “These capabilities could help transform the role of pilot from a systems operator to a mission supervisor directing intermeshed, trusted, reliable systems at a high level.”
While the ALIAS system could extend a pilots control well beyond a single aircraft, possibly commanding entire squadrons of planes and drones, the technology required to create a reliable and functional system of that caliber is still a ways away. In fact, DARPA’s press release mentions they’ll be holding a “proposer’s day” on May 14th of this year to air ideas on how to create this system.
More likely than not a reliable ALIAS system is still a generation a way. However, a mature ALIAS-like autopilot could be a game changer in the military world, extending the reach of a single soldier to multiple airborne units. If built properly, ALIAS could also be flexible enough to accommodate the needs of ground troops backed by robots or sailors commanding UUVs.
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DARPA’s New Autopilot Could Change Flight Forever
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