1.4 Ethics in Aviation
With rising advancements in the field of autonomous flying, ethical dilemmas naturally present themselves. One such dilemma is the decisions made by artificial intelligence in the event of an emergency. Dr. Robert Joslin relates this decision making to the famous philosophical trolley problem where “a person controlling the tracks must make the moral decision to either run over five people on one track or one person on a different track” (Joslin, 2023). In the event of an emergency, an unmanned autonomous aircraft is not capable of human rationalization and ethical decision-making as to whether to “prioritize the safety of its passengers or those on the ground” (Joslin, 2023). Much more than that, pilots can attest to the nuances of performing in the event of an emergency and the countless variables that present themselves when forming a decision for the best course of action. Personally, I am wary of autonomous flying, and I believe that experienced pilots with first-hand account