Travel in 2075: Door-to-door plane rides?

Planes that fly without pilots, at five times the speed of sound and drop you off at your door could be a reality as soon as 2075, an engineering study claims.

The UK's Institution of Mechanical Engineers has released a report titled Aero 2075: Flying into a Bright Future?

Rather than showcasing some far-fetched ideas about playing golf in commercial passenger jets, the report claims to focus on a selection of developments that already have the "initial research impetus" to turn them into realities for the travel industry.

Expect to see aircraft cruising in a V-shaped formation similar to a flock of geese, where automated docking would allow planes to join the flock in a position determined by a computer.

It could even be possible to "deliver the individual passenger at or near the front door".

"This might be achieved by means of a large aircraft carrying individual units that can be released over the destination and float down to the designated area where the passenger needs to go – a sort of Ark Royal for the skies," the report reads.

Pilots wouldn't be needed. Instead, the aeroplanes would be guided by computer programmes using light detection and ranging equipment and infra-red cameras.

The report also looks into three concepts of flight: subsonic (slower than the speed of sound), supersonic (faster than the speed of sound) and hypersonic (more than five times the speed of sound).

And how do you feel about re-fuelling in the air?

There is talk of a "docking station" where planes could fill up in the sky and therefore allow them to fly carrying less fuel.

It would be economically advantageous on routes longer than 8334kilometres, it says.

But there would have to be a lot of groundwork done before passengers are convinced it's safe to refuel mid-flight, the report acknowledges.

Now that, at least, could take a lot longer than 65 years.

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