The Definitive Guide to Autonomous Aviation

The Encyclopedia of
Pilotless Flight

From eVTOL air taxis to BVLOS logistics—decoded. Your central hub for the technology reshaping our skies.

Popular Topics: #eVTOL #BVLOS #LiDAR #AirTaxi

What is the Pilotless Era?

Pilotless flight is not just about drones. It represents the convergence of distributed electric propulsion, artificial intelligence, and next-generation aviation. From urban air taxis to autonomous logistics, we are documenting the revolution that is reshaping our skies.

Master the Terminology

Decipher the acronyms and technical concepts driving the industry.

eVTOL

Electric Vertical Take-off & Landing

Aircraft that use electric power to hover, take off, and land vertically without the need for a runway. The foundational technology for future "air taxi" services.

Key Tech: DEP, Lithium-ion Batteries

BVLOS

Beyond Visual Line of Sight

Flight operations where the remote pilot cannot see the aircraft directly. Crucial for scalable delivery, inspection, and mapping.

Related: VLOS, DAA (Detect & Avoid)

LiDAR

Light Detection and Ranging

Remote sensing using pulsed laser to measure distances. Acts as the "eyes" of pilotless systems for precise 3D mapping and obstacle avoidance.

Function: 3D Mapping, Navigation

The Pilotless Top 20

Tracking the key players defining the industry landscape, from Air Taxis to Defense.

Tier 1: Urban Air Mobility

eVTOL / Air Taxi

Joby Aviation

USA

The industry leader, deeply partnered with Uber to bring air taxis to market.

Archer Aviation

USA

A major player that has secured significant orders from United Airlines.

EHang

China

World's first to obtain a type certificate for a passenger-grade autonomous vehicle.

Volocopter

Germany

Focused on the European market with their distinctive multi-rotor design.

Lilium

Germany

Known for its unique electric ducted fan jet design for regional air mobility.

Vertical Aerospace

UK

A British manufacturer that has secured a large volume of commercial pre-orders.

Beta Technologies

USA

Developing aircraft that balance cargo transport utility with passenger capabilities.

Tier 2: UAS & Consumer

Industrial / Inspection

DJI

China

The undisputed global hegemon of the consumer drone market.

Skydio

USA

Famous for full autonomous obstacle avoidance, favored by public safety.

Parrot

France

Veteran manufacturer now focused on security and defense sectors.

Autel Robotics

China/USA

Strong competitor offering high-quality imaging and industrial drones.

XAG

China

The global leader in agricultural drones and smart farming solutions.

Tier 3: Logistics & Defense

Delivery / Military

Zipline

Fixed-wing medical delivery drones saving lives in remote areas.

Wing

Google's subsidiary focused on community drone delivery.

Amazon Prime Air

The e-commerce giant's ambitious logistics drone program.

Matternet

Specialized in urban medical sample transport networks.

AeroVironment

Manufacturer of the famous "Switchblade" loitering munitions.

Anduril

Silicon Valley defense unicorn specializing in AI interception.

Kratos

Producer of high-performance jet target drones and loyal wingmen.

Shield AI

Focused on autonomous flight algorithms for GPS-denied environments.

Build It Yourself

Essential open-source projects and flight stacks for engineers and makers.

AP

ArduPilot

The world's most advanced and feature-rich open-source autopilot software. Supports helicopters, multi-rotors, fixed-wing, and submarines.

PX

PX4 Autopilot

Professional-grade open-source flight control stack. Core project of the Dronecode Foundation, commonly used with QGroundControl.

BF

Betaflight

The most popular firmware for FPV racing. Designed for ultimate flight performance and responsiveness.

ROS

ROS (Robot Operating System)

Standard for academic research and advanced industrial drone development (via MAVROS).

IN

INAV

Fork of Cleanflight focused on GPS navigation and altitude hold, ideal for fixed-wing long-range flying.