FedEx teams up with Reliable Robotics on autonomous cargo planes

It’s more than two pilots since they can’t fly 24/7? Pilot salary for fedex is 100k+

The cost of a pilot is pretty insignificant when you're talking 747s. But for a small single engine aircraft, the cost of a pilot is high enough to be a barrier to entry for many markets. These routes would be a pretty big deal in alaska, smaller hawaiian islands, and the USVIs at least as far as domestic routes.

Well not a savings now but the field is only really making it commercially viable soon. Long term with no space needed for crews planes can become even more specialized and in many configurations. No worry about schedules, no worry about having enough pilots certified on the plane, and besides lower salaries and benefits the insurance risk is reduced.

Operating cost on a Cessna 208 is reported as $896.93 per flight hour.[1] So, no.

[1] https://www.aircraftcostcalculator.com/AircraftOperatingCost...

It's more about fleet utilization.

Actually what it would probably lead to is a dropping of all safety requirements for over water regulations since only cargo and not human lives are at risk.

Plus it means never having to wait for a pilot that’s stuck in traffic, the wrong town, or unable to fly for health/medication reasons

> I imagine though, that the planes would still have to be pressurized.

Looks like the C208 isn't pressurized.