Video games or flight school?

Black Bear · September 9, 2013

Some articles that I have read recently in Aviation E Brief, specifically one in the September 5th edition, talk about the areas of operation for UAV's and is seems to be focusing on a lot of industries that the helicopter has known great success. What projected trends have been discussed by the helicopter industry and what can up and coming pilots expect as far as career choices if the UAV industry diminishes or eliminates the need for helicopters? Maybe we will see mini airports with mini aircraft and a mini flight schools in the not too distant future.

helipilotm · September 9, 2013

It's going to be ALONG time before UAV's will be on the civilian side. Long enough that I'm not worried about a UAV taking my job. Also gonna be even longer for passenger carrying operations. They will have to prove themselves over and over. The military Kmax has came along way but there still having all kinds of issues that won't be fixed anytime soon.

Edited September 9, 2013 by helipilotm

Black Bear · September 9, 2013

If by a long time, you mean 2015 when the FAA is suppose to have completed the rules and regs for the UAV market. There is speculation as to whether or not they will meet this date, but I have read that the UAV industry is pushing hard and seem to be gaining momentum. I will probably never see an unmanned A/c doing tours over the Grand Canyon, or flying EMS but who knows. I do however, speculate as to whether we as pilots will be seeing fewer opportunities in industries such as Ag, LE, ENG, SAR and anything involving patrol. And this is just scratching the surface, I'm sure.

Bell47Pilot · September 9, 2013

Black Bear i think you are right the technology exist and i think we will see more of the dangers none passenger caring operation like ENG and AG being replaced by UAVs. but for that to happen the prices of UAVs need to be significantly lowered.

here a nice Eourocopter video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBzP6xK6I6c

turbotay · September 9, 2013

Me and another pilot had a discussion about this recently and he brought up a valid point on how he expects the future of UAV's to play out. Basically the first thing to go will be anything utility; powerlines, ag, non passenger carrying firefighting (water drops). Anything that only requires a pilot with no passengers is in line to be replaced by UAV's, assuming they prove to be more reliable and less expensive. Now as for passenger carrying ops, computers will move in but never fully. It will be hard if not impossible to ever sell the average person on a computer flying them around with no actual human behind the controls. What he speculates will happen is this, computers will be primary during flight however they will have a human SIC to monitor them.

Again its all speculation so you never know, the human factor could completely out due a potentially more advanced UAV. An example is the whisper Jet, one of the most quietest and fairly cost efficient helicopters that was brought to the grand canyon. However the passengers did not like it because they could not see the pilot (they sat up top in a cabin) and therfore would suggest to fly a different type, eventually leading to the whisper jet being a thing of the past. The technology and benefits may be there but if the customer prefers to have an actual human, then our jobs will be safe and sound.

Bell47Pilot · September 9, 2013

lol it was you and me that had the discussion.

Flying Pig · September 9, 2013

What he speculates will happen is this, computers will be primary during flight however they will have a human SIC to monitor them.
.

I believe thats called an S-92.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Flying Pig

Wally · September 9, 2013

If civil use includes Law Enforcement, I think we'll be seeing UAVs evrywhere and soon.

If you're talking commercial deployment of UAV then it will be a long while, especially the helo side of aviation. Helo operators are conservative and cost driven, risking understating the obvious... You couldn't pay somebody LESS to monitor a flight than common pilot compensation- and you can make "seat meat" do other jobs besides wiggling the stick.

The commercial operator doesn't commonly have autopilots and EMS took frickin' decades to adopt NVGs, both in spite of a horrendous differences in day/night accident rates.

The military's cotract use of UAVs is a good example of the technology lag of commercial helicopter aviation. The military has a history of incubating technologies in niche operations that don't directly translate to the civilian world.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Wally

helipilotm · September 10, 2013

If by a long time, you mean 2015 when the FAA is suppose to have completed the rules and regs for the UAV market. There is speculation as to whether or not they will meet this date, but I have read that the UAV industry is pushing hard and seem to be gaining momentum. I will probably never see an unmanned A/c doing tours over the Grand Canyon, or flying EMS but who knows. I do however, speculate as to whether we as pilots will be seeing fewer opportunities in industries such as Ag, LE, ENG, SAR and anything involving patrol. And this is just scratching the surface, I'm sure.

Just because the FAA is going to have rules by 2015 doesn't mean it's going to happen then. First off there isn't a helicopter ready for it. Yeah I know the Kmax but its not really trustworthy. There testing them where I live and have a buddy who works out there he said about 45%!of the time there reliable. That's pretty crappy!

Second off your right Grand Canyon, ems won't be for a LONG time!

You won't see it in ag for even longer why cost. Most ag places can barely pay the bills as is, I'm not even gonna guess what it would cost for a UAV helicopter. Haven't seen one yet! SAR involves passengers so that's out! LE won't happen because of cost, go talk to any LE pilot they have tight budgets, and again I'm not gonna even guess at what a UAV helicopter costs. Oh and firefighting haha only if you knew what a joke the Forrest circus was to deal with, they will be the last ones to use a UAV, hell it's a 2 hour process for a simple recon or sling load of food can't even imagine what a UAV water bucket mission would take! So basically what I'm getting at is its gonna be a LONG time due to the simple fact of cost. It's gonna be years before they make a reliable UAV helicopter and many many years before anybody can afford one. So like I said in my previous post I'm not worried because it won't be in my lifetime that all that will happen and threaten my job and I'm pretty young 32

sorcer · September 10, 2013

While it will probably take a while before UAVs replace manned helicopters in operations such as external load and anything carrying passengers, we already see small UAVs (usually hexacopters) replacing helicopters in areas such as photo flight. It shouldn't be too long before the ENG business can adopt this technology at least for some of their missions, and I don't see why it wouldn't be an easy and good fit for powerline either.