Xwing Says The Future of Air Transportation Is Autonomous, But How Close Is That Future?

FLYING speaks with the company’s product lead to get a look at its roadmap.

Michael Wildes

Thursday, April 07, 2022 at 10:15 AM ET

Verified

The Xwing staff working on one of its aircraft. [Courtesy: Xwing]

Key Takeaways:

Xwing has successfully demonstrated autonomous flight operations, including taxiing, takeoff, and landing, using a modified Cessna Caravan overseen remotely by a mission control center.
The company's strategic focus is on developing platform-agnostic autonomous technology, initially targeting the air cargo market to address pilot shortages, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency in regional air mobility.
Xwing employs a pragmatic, cargo-first approach to incrementally build public trust and ensure safety, working closely with regulators while utilizing advanced sensors for detect-and-avoid capabilities.
Ongoing challenges for full integration include further innovation in sensor technology for diverse environmental conditions and developing solutions for autonomous communication with air traffic control.

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In February 2021, social media came abuzz when the startup company Xwing released footage of its experimental Cessna 208B Grand Caravan exiting its hangar at Buchanan Field in Concord, California, which then taxied, departed, landed, and taxied back to the hangar entirely on its own.

The video shows an overseeing pilot on board, who was only there to comply with regulatory requirements, and transfer flight controls to Xwing’s Mission Control Center that was remotely located on the field.