Flight Testing Autonomous Aerial Systems

Fighter Pilot Podcast

E. Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello, Retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot

History, Personal Journals, Technology, Society & Culture, Government, Leisure, Aviation

4.9 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 April 2025

⏱️ 126 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What is the difference between automation and autonomy, and where does artificial intelligence fit in when it comes to military aviation?

On this episode, Ms. Jessica "STING" Peterson, Ph.D. student and part time Instructor Flight Test Engineer at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, explains the nuanced differences, drawing on her experience flight testing the RQ-4 Global Hawk and collision avoidance systems.

Aircraft, both civil and military, have been equipped with auto pilots for decades. With advancing technology, it seems all but inevitable that autonomous and artificially intelligent aircraft are the next logical step.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Transcript

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0:00.0	We would like to thank our title sponsor National University.
0:03.7	National University is committed to supporting veterans, active duty personnel,
0:07.8	and military families through flexible online courses and master's and doctoral programs
0:12.6	in high-demand fields, providing excellent career advancement opportunities.
0:17.4	NU is a yellow ribbon school that proudly accepts the post-911 GI Bill
0:21.6	and goes the extra mile by offering unlimited free tutoring, virtual career advising, and transition support.
0:28.7	To learn what National University has to offer, visit veteran.n.n.u.orgia.
0:34.6	It takes a lot of money in time to train a fighter pilot or weapon system operator.
0:39.6	Autonomy, you can have a computer that has a lot more information coming in.
0:44.5	It can process that information quicker.
0:46.9	There's all these different benefits that you can have with autonomy.
0:50.6	Sam one.
0:51.1	One.
0:52.1	Five, go.
0:53.1	Black one. Back one. Five one. Sam Lodge is working in four hundred hundred dollars. Get out of here.
1:06.3	All right and me, boys.
1:09.4	Hello and welcome to the Fighter Pilot podcast, the internet show that explores the fascinating
1:14.4	world of air combat, the aircraft, the weapon systems, and most importantly the people.
1:20.3	Speaking of people, I'm one of them today.
1:22.2	I am your host Vincent Aiello Colossangello.
1:24.9	And the other joining me is our former U.S. Air Force flight test engineer,
1:30.1	Mr. Ken Katz. Primetime. Welcome back. Hi, Jello. It's good to have you back. What's new?
	...

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