Cirrus Aircraft is making emergency landings as simple as pushing a button.
Or that's how it seems for the single-engine Vision Jet's new safety feature unveiled on Wednesday, called "Safe Return." The button is supposed to be for a "pilot incapacitation emergency situation" and activates an autonomous landing. No pilot necessary.
Once Safe Return is pushed, the system sends the aircraft to the nearest, safest, available airport. The craft handles any terrain issues, weather, or other obstacles itself and searches for the best runway to make a safe landing.
Once safely landed, it's a separate issue to figure out what to do about that incapacitated pilot. Autonomous planes can only do so much.
