Air autonomy

Testing begins on Anglo-French ASTREA project which, according to a story in the Guardian, aims to replace remote-operated drones with aircraft that "will follow a set of programmed instructions, with the aim that they could fly difficult missions autonomously for days at a time." The concept of a 'man-in-the-loop' at all times is offered as a bulwark against the planes themselves releasing the laser-guided bombs they will carry, according to the story.