The aerospace giant has announced a series of recent
Many of the technologies—such as unmanned flying taxis—sound space age, but the latest deals are a sign they may not be as far off as they seem. Boeing did not disclose financial terms for either investment.
"The aerospace industry is going to be changing," Boeing chief technology officer Greg Hyslop said in a conference call with journalists.
The Aurora purchase builds on Boeing's work with the company on commercial and military equipment. Today's commercial airplanes already employ sophisticated computer systems that have automated key aspects of flying.
But Aurora aims to go far beyond that, aspiring to a completely autonomous flight, from take-off to landing. A robot, with the aid of artificial intelligence, could back up a pilot by depressing the pedals, taking control in emergency situations or even landing the plane.
In May, Aurora, collaborating with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, successfully tested its automated co-pilot system on a Boeing commercial plane.
Aurora has also worked to develop a kind of flying taxi system, of keen interest to Boeing in its ongoing rivalry with Airbus.
In April, Aurora was selected by Uber to develop its on-demand urban air transportation system. Aurora's goal of delivering 50 autonomous aircraft for testing by 2020 is "well within reach," the company said at the time.
Airbus for its part is working to develop its flying taxi system Vahana by the end of the year, as well as another concept, Pop UP, that could travel between cities.
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-10-boeing-boosts-tech-investment-hybrid.html#jCp
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