ROBOT PILOT NOW FLIES R.A.F. ’PLANES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 4 January 1930, Page 6

ROBOT PILOT NOW FLIES R.A.F. ’PLANES.

ALLOWS HUMAN CREW FREEDOM WHILE IN AIR. (Special to the “Star.”) LONDON, November 17. Britain has perfected a piece of aerial mechanism which leaves the rest of the world far behind. It is nothing less astonishing than a Robot Air Pilot. Details of this uncannj’ machine, henceforth to form a regular part of the Royal Air Force, are giveti by Mr E. C. Bowyer, the “ Daily News” air correspondent, as follows: Automatic pilots—“ robots ” of intricate mechanism and superhuman skill —have been added, I am able to reveal to-day, to the “ personnel ” of the Royal Air Force. Scientists, engaged in great secrecy on the development of the device at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough. for several years past, have prodticed a “ robot ” which controls an aeroplane in flight far more precisely than could the most highly skilled human pilot. Fitted to war 'planes of widely varying types, including two-seater day bombers, large twin-engined night bombers and big flying boats, the “ robot ” has steered an accurate course for hours on end and over distances up to 400 miles, while the human members of the crews have carried out other duties. WEIGHS ONLY 100 POUNDS. This marvel of modern ingenuity consists essentially of a gyroscope, giving more than human sense of direction and level, which is driven continuously by compressed air. Controlled by the gyroscope are pistons linked up with the rudder and elevators of the machine. So sensitive is the mechanism that a deviation of the aircraft from the set course of a tiny fraction of a degree is detected and corrected instantly. The “ robot,” styled officially the , “ Pilot’s Assister.” weighs about 100 pounds, considerably less than the less efficient human pilot whom it displaces. Its use as second pilot on future long-distance or duration flights bv the Royal Air Force is seriously under consideration. DEAD ACCURACY IN DENSE FOG. Flights have been made in all kinds of weather conditions. In dense fog or cloud, where the human pilot finds it almost- impossible to maintain straight or level flight because he has no visible horizon by which to steer, the “ robot ” flics the 'plane with dead accuracy, keeping it on a perfectly level keel. The tests have taken the automatically controlled ’planes over every part of this country. On one flight the automaton steered a dead-true course from Farnborough to Newcastle, the human pilot taking over at the last moment for the landing. Once set. the “ robot ” in its present form is infallible, though early types played one or two curious pranks. It is stated that the mechanism on one occasion, unexpectedly twice looped a flying-boat, while the human members of the crew were thinking about other things in the after part of the hull.

NO FATIGUE ON LONG FLIGHTS. During flight the human pilot can make changes of course to correct for varying wind or other alterations in flying conditions. The “robot” continues still to exercise complete con trol. Or the machine may be trimmed to dive or climb without hampering the device.

It is claimed by the chief experts in aerial navigation that tjie “robot" greatly improves accuracy- in coursekeeping and relieves the human pilot completely of the fatigue of flying large machines for long periods of time. Risks of flying in bad weather are largely minimised. I understand that “Pilots’ Assisters” are to be fitted to many different types of Service aircraft. A further step will be the adaptation of this revolutionarv device to the pilotage of large passenger and mail-carrying ’planes.