KAIST’s Smart Pilot
A team of KAIST’s best researchers and engineers is currently developing the first humanoid robot that can fly an airplane or other types of aircraft without needing to adjust to a human-built cockpit.
Pibot is a humanoid robot that can fly an aeroplane just like a human pilot by manipulating all the single controls in the cockpit, which is designed for humans.
Said David Shim, an associate professor of electrical engineering at KAIST, for the Euronews Next portal.
In other words, the robot is built to fit into a cockpit and manipulate all controls within that space without any human assistance. According to The Science Times, Pitbot is an impressive 160 cm tall and weighs 65 kg. Of course, the bot doesn’t resemble a human being, but it could pass as an advanced drawing of a futuristic robot.
Pitbot combines the best of AI and robotics. As a result, it’s capable of processing the flight manual’s natural language and single-handedly controlling the flight operation process. Its design, including advanced and human-like robotic arms and fingers, allows it to adequately handle all instruments within the cockpit, even during turbulence.
Source: Google
Harnessing the advantages of AI, this humanoid pilot can read and comprehend flight manuals and even memorize sets of Jeppesen aeronautical navigation charts used to facilitate the safe navigation of air charter flights, making it much more capable than human pilots.
Don’t worry; it won’t replace the pilots, at least not anytime soon. It’s designed to provide support in extreme situations, such as when deploying a human pilot could pose a safety risk. Still, it’s noteworthy that the robot’s design allows it to perform other duties, such as driving a car or commanding a ship.
Engineers are still developing the robot, which won’t be fully functional before 2026. And it likely won’t replace your taxi driver either, but will instead be used to support military operations.