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Glite Dictionary
pilotless

pilotless

2 6.5
A vehicle with no person on board to control it, like a plane or spaceship
  • adjective
  • /ˈpaɪlətləs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sin piloto
  • The recent advances in technology have led to the development of pilotless drones that can operate autonomously.
  • pilotless drone
  • pilotless aircraft
  • pilotless plane

Examples

  • Ever heard of pilotless aircraft?

    The Sound Barrier (1952)

  • The models with a rider in place showed almost twice as much drag as their pilotless counterparts.

    Academic text (1993)

  • This problem can't be solved with pilotless aircraft.

    The Sound Barrier (1952)

  • In a test that took place several years ago, a small, pilotless biplane took off from Cook Field in Dayton, Ohio.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Samuel Langley, for example, built steam-powered, pilotless aircraft in the late 19th century.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Many companies are investing in pilotless aircraft to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.

  • In the future, we may see commercial flights using pilotless airplanes that can navigate without human intervention.

Synonyms

unmanned
vspilotless
  • Specialized
39 5.1

Operates without a person on board

is a term for aircraft or spacecraft lacking a human pilot onboard
crewless
vspilotless
6.0

Having no people on board to operate a ship or plane

is used specifically for aircraft or spacecraft missing a human pilot onboard
manless
vspilotless
  • Specialized
6.1

Working without people on board and controlled from far away

narrows this idea to aircraft or spacecraft without a human pilot onboard
driverless
vspilotless
4.4

A group or project that has no leader to give direction

refers instead to aircraft or spacecraft where no human pilot is present onboard

Antonyms

manned
9 3.8

With people on board to operate it

Compounds

pilotless aircraft
  • Specialized
6.2

A flying vehicle with no person on it that someone controls from the ground or that runs on a computer

Surface Forms

pilotless positive

Morphology

pilotless = pilot (transparent) = pilot + less

The adjective is a straightforward formation from 'pilot' + '-less', meaning 'without a pilot', which is directly inferable by learners.

Etymology

Pilotless comes from pilot, a person who 'guides' a ship or plane, and -less, which means 'without'. So pilotless describes a vehicle that operates 'without' a human pilot on board.