Deals
Boeing Bets on Robot Pilots, Air Taxis With Aurora Takeover
- Planemaker gains futuristic portfolio with autonomy pioneer
- Autonomous-aircraft company has projects with Uber, Pentagon
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Boeing Co. is buying drone pioneer Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., gaining a portfolio of futuristic technology such as unmanned air taxis that may someday navigate city skies for Uber Technologies Inc.
With the acquisition, Boeing is betting that smarter airplanes will dominate flying, with computer algorithms and artificial intelligence playing an increasingly important role in the cockpit. Aurora is an early leader in autonomous flying, with products like a robotic co-pilot and software that can sense landing strips.