Feds approve new Garmin technology that can land an airplane without a pilot
1 min readArticle by Kevin Hardy.
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved cutting-edge technology developed by Olathe-based Garmin that can automatically land a small airplane in an emergency.
Piper Aircraft announced Monday that the FAA had approved a new safety system on the Piper M600/SLS that features Garmin’s Autoland.
That technology allows a pilot or passenger to press a single button. From there, Garmin’s software identifies a suitable airport, notifies air traffic controllers and lands the plane without pilot or passenger intervention. Autoland can also self-activate if a pilot is incapacitated or dead.
Autopilot technologies long ago helped automate cruising in airplanes. But Garmin says its Autoland is the first such tool to master pilotless landing in the general aviation space. The technology is so far aimed at those smaller aircraft — not commercial airliners. […]