From: Dr. Wilhelm Dusk, wildusk@cam.ccl.br
To: Alan Dabbage, alan.dabbage@boggle.com
Greetings Mr. Dabbage,
Your application for the PhD programme "Applied Autonomous Flight" has been approved. I personally congratulate you on your continued interest in advanced neural networks, and am more than happy to consider you a part of the team!
In the past months we have developed and trained a prototypical neural network, which has been fitted to a "Stargazer" shuttle procured by the university. I'd like you to contact Dr. Sarah Tillman as soon as possible to acquaint yourself with the setup. Your primary assignment will likely be to contact BPA authorities to make sure surveilled autonomous flight is legal. Then we'll get the vessel out on the Cambridge system and engage Autonomous mode, taking over when the AI makes a mistake and keeping logs from the sensors and neural outputs.
Don't hesitate to contact me in person with any questions,
Faithfully yours,
Dr. Wilhelm Dusk
Cambridge Computer Laboratory
Characters:
William Osler: Texan Transport Captain
Alan Dabbage: Cambridge Computer Lab Doctoral Student: Autonomous Flight
From: Alan Dabbage - aladab@cam.ccl.br
To: Dr. Wilhelm Dusk, wildusk@cam.ccl.br
Subject: Field testing
Good morning!
I sent a query to the authorities regarding our project, but I have since received no response. Barring the possibility that I got the wrong neural net address, I think they're just absolutely overwhelmed with blockade runners and trade lane monitoring, what with the Frenchies. I might try to reach them again, maybe even head to their headquarters if I have the time.
For the time being I believe we should go ahead with limited testing. Looking at the simulation data I believe James (Do you mind if I call it James? It's a classic buttler name) will perfectly handle extra-lane space flight and docking in Trade Lanes. Jump Gate algorithms are automated but I still maintain some reservations about James' ability to handle the hand-offs. Traffic should also be a non-issue, but my hands are going to be on the controls at all times.
James' automated transmission protocol is operating according to the legal team's specifications, hailing and warning incoming ships whilst in Autonomous Mode. Dr. Tillman's Emergency Handoff procedure is also working seamlessly, notifying the pilot 2-3 seconds before relinquishing control. If the pilot doesn't respond in that time frame, the Emergency Handoff is cancelled and the ship is immobilized. I'm not sure that is a good thing, as screeching to a halt might not be optimal in all conditions, but around Cambridge my biggest safety concerns remain the Research Base and the Planet itself, both of whom are thankfully stationary!
Finally, I have received the all clear from Dr. Tillman and the technicians. I know that the decision to begin testing before we receive word from the traffic police might be legally reprehensible, but it's my firm belief that the Chancellor will support us in full if we get flagged down.
-Alan
Characters:
William Osler: Texan Transport Captain
Alan Dabbage: Cambridge Computer Lab Doctoral Student: Autonomous Flight
