Airbus has planes that can take off on their own paving the way for a future without pilots

AIRBUS planes are successfully taking off on their own – without the need for pilots.

A video released by the aircraft designer shows an A350 taking off from Toulouse Airport with brand new technology.

Airbus have successfully taken off without using pilotsCredit: Airbus

The automatic take-off technology works by using image recognition, which lets the plane “see” the centre line down the runway.

It then uses an algorithm along with CGI of the runway to analyse the take off procedure.

This is instead of using Instrument Landing System (ILS), which pilots rely on.

In the video, two pilots are sitting in the cockpit although they’re not supposed to touch anything.

But during take off, one of the men tries to use the side-stick which is needed to pull a plane up during manual take-off.

His colleague quickly stops him by putting his hand on his arm.

The automatic take off used a CGI and technology to analyse the tarmac

Eight tests had two pilots in the cockpit who were not allowed to touch anythingCredit: Airbus

The successful take-off was one of eight tests that took place last month, according to Airbus, as part of their Airbus’ Autonomous Taxi, Take-Off & Landing (ATTOL) project which launched in 2018.

It paves the way for pilot-less planes in the future.

Airbus Test Pilot Captain Yann Beaufils explained: “While completing alignment on the runway, waiting for clearance from air traffic control, we engaged the auto-pilot.

“We moved the throttle levers to the take-off setting and we monitored the aircraft.

“It started to move and accelerate automatically maintaining the runway centre line, at the exact rotation speed as entered in the system.

The plane then took off without the pilotsCredit: Airbus

“The nose of the aircraft began to lift up automatically to take the expected take-off pitch value and a few seconds later we were airborne.”

Pilot-free planes are currently being tested by a number of airlines and technology companies.

Garmin are developing a new “autoland” system which would let pilots simply click a button to help the plane to land.

However, the new system would only be used in an emergency, such as if the pilot falls ill, and would direct the plane to the best airport within 200 miles.

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