As an industry leader on this specific subject matter... I agree: the problem space is much smaller, in theory.

However, certification requirements and safety assurance needs will drive both cost and time into realizing fully autonomous aircraft. They will be here, but we are 10-15 years away.

The problem is in how to certify machine learning code. Today, you can't. Existing AMCs (accepted means of compliance) are incompatible with the nature of ML. (The breakdown is specifically with assurance architectures focused on code traceability and coverage.) A new architecture for demonstrating safety assurance with AI/ML is needed, and is being built, but is still 1.5-2 years away from being released, and then it will take another year or two before a CAA (civil aviation authority, like the FAA or EASA) will certify a component with ML code--and that will not be an autonomous pilot. That will come in time, but the industry is conservative--especially on safety-critical matters--and it will take years to develop trust in both technology, human factors, and methodology to work up to autonomously flown passenger aircraft.

From the regulator perspective, EASA has taken poll position in thought leadership. Google their AI Roadmap or their Concept Paper for Level 1 Machine Learning Applications.

> string of automated glider ports

There is a small precedent here: the space shuttle flew almost 100% by computers.

There was a small involvement of the pilots when landing and some change of software due to small RAM size in the computers.

I could imagine "Fully-Self-Flying planes" would start out with cargo planes between areas with low population.