Could Remote - Controlled autopilot soon be used on planes?
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HAD, THIS INCIDENT MAY WELL HAVE
TURNED OUT VERY DIFFERENTLY.
A LOST SIGNAL, A VANISHED PLANE
AND ON THE GROUND A FEELING OF
COMPLETE HELPLESSNESS.
BUT AN IDEA HAS SURFACED TO PUT
AUTO PILOT ON PASSENGER PLANES
ON REMOTE CONTROL IN STRESSFUL
SITUATIONS.
IN 2004, BOEING APPLIED FOR A
PATENT FOR A SYSTEM REFERRED TO
AS UB INTERRUPTIBLE AUTO PILOT.
>> THE GROUND CONTROLLER COULD
NOW TAKE CONTROL AWAY FROM THE
PILOTS SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE
CONTROL OVER THE THROTTLE, THE
YOKE OR THE RUDDER PEDALS.
THAT WOULD BE HANDLED BY THE
GROUND.
EVERYTHING THE PILOTS TRIED TO
DO WOULD BE INCONSEQUENTIAL.
>> PILOTS COULD FLICK A SWITCH
WHEN UNDER STRESS AND SENSORS
COULD ACTIVATE THE GROUND AUTO
PILOT IF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
FORCE WAS USED AGAINST THE
COCKPIT DOOR, THEN GROUND
OPERATORS COULD TAKE CONTROL OF
THE PLANE USING RADIO OR
SATELLITE SIGNALS AND STEER IT
TO A DETERMINED AIRPORT.
THEY'D BE FLYING IT ALMOST LIKE
A DRONE.
IF MALAYSIAN AIRLINES WAS
HIJACKED OR IF A MEMBER OF THE
CREW PURPOSEFULLY DID SOMETHING
TO ALTER THE PATH, COULD THIS
HAVE SAVED THAT PLANE.
>> IF THEY DETERMINED THIS WAS A
PROBLEM AND THEY TRIED TO GET IN
TOUCH WITH THE PILOT AND
CO-PILOT AND THEY COULDN'T, THEN
IF THAT SYSTEM WERE IN PLACE, IT
SEEMS AS THOUGH THE GROUND
CONTROLLER COULD THEN HAVE
LANDED THIS AIRCRAFT.
>> Reporter: RIGHT NOW AUTOPILOT
SYSTEMS ARE MANUALLY SWITCHED IS
ON AND OFF ONLY AT THE
DISCRETION OF THE PILOTS IN THE
AIR.
AUTOPILOT CANNOT LAND OR TAKE
OFF.
IT COULD PRESENT A NEW PROBLEM.
THIS SYSTEM WOULDN'T BE HACK
PROOF.
