Manned and Unmanned Aircraft to Merge Within Decades
General Atomics official Patrick Shortsleeve predicts combined manned and unmanned military flight within 20 to 30 years.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Remote Work
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems vice president Patrick Shortsleeve said manned and unmanned aircraft will merge within 20 to 30 years. He spoke at the UND Space Operations Summit in Grand Forks on Thursday, November 5.
Why it matters
The projection points to a future in which unmanned systems carry a larger share of military aviation missions. For Grand Forks, the prediction connects to the region's growing role in aviation and defense operations centered at GrandSky.
Shortsleeve projected that within 20 to 30 years, military aircraft will have an abundance of unmanned capability on military tarmacs. The source does not provide production volumes or budget figures supporting the timeline.
The players
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
A defense contractor known for building the MQ-9 Reaper and other unmanned aircraft systems, and an anchor tenant of the GrandSky aviation park.
Patrick Shortsleeve
A vice president at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems who spoke at the UND Space Operations Summit about the future of manned and unmanned flight.
John Hoeven
A U.S. senator from North Dakota who has long supported the state's aviation and defense industries.
The details
Shortsleeve spoke at the UND LEADS speaker series event, which complements the university's National Security Initiative. He described collaborative combat aircraft that combine manned and unmanned aircraft working together, and said trust in unmanned systems is built through experience with autonomous systems. He noted that autonomous systems still require a human's final decision.
Timeline
October 30: General Atomics and Sen. John Hoeven celebrated completion of the Remote Split Operations facility at GrandSky.
November 5: Shortsleeve spoke at the UND Space Operations Summit in Grand Forks.
Within 20 to 30 years: Military tarmacs expected to hold abundant unmanned capability.
Remote Work Context
The Remote Split Operations facility will use two ground control stations to fly MQ-9 Reaper drones, extending the Reaper program into North Dakota. Shortsleeve's projection suggests the remote operation of aircraft may expand well beyond this single facility over the coming decades.
Remote operation of military aircraft could create new job categories at ground control facilities like the one at GrandSky. Workers in the region may see demand shift toward remote piloting and autonomous systems roles.
The takeaway
Remote operation of aircraft is moving from experiment to infrastructure in North Dakota. Readers interested in aviation careers may want to track training and hiring tied to the GrandSky facility.
Further reading
Explore more on remote work in the Grand Forks area and how it is reshaping defense and aviation careers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Grand Forks Herald.
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