Will self-flying planes transform the skies?

In a field in California's San Joaquin Valley, a small crop-spraying plane is flying perilously low, with no pilot aboard. Russ Marotzke, a flight test engineer at Pyka, explains that the pilotless aircraft can descend lower than a human pilot, reducing spray drift and the need for chemicals. Pyka, a start-up in a converted WWII hangar, designs self-flying aircraft for crop spraying or cargo delivery.

They are among a few companies racing to bring autonomous fixed-wing aircraft into commercial service. While urban air taxis have garnered much attention, the focus is also on self-flying planes for jobs like crop spraying and cargo delivery, with some hoping for passenger operation. Michael Norcia, Pyka's co-founder and CEO, believes a fleet of minibus-capacity Pyka planes could ferry passengers along the US coasts before the eVTOL industry.

Pyka's crop-spraying plane, fully electric and with an 11.5m wingspan, can fly for about 35 minutes and carries up to 300L of spray. The aircraft is among the few approved for commercial civilian use, though operations are limited to specific agricultural settings and require ground operators and visual observers. Supporters argue that autonomous aircraft could address pilot shortages, improve efficiency, and reduce costs, but critics warn that removing pilots could be a serious gamble with safety.