sorry to bring this up again, but it's relevant.
Read an interesting article in flight from this week (june 8-14 issue) on page 12 titled 'Unmanned' aircraft puts controlles airspace to the test.
Basically talks a proving flight this time last week when the german aerospace centre used a fokker VFW614 (looks to be around a 30-40 capacity jet when it was used as an airliner tho not sure). BAsically the airline goes to show that the aircraft could operate in controlled airspace with no input by the 2 safety pilots in the a/c. the aircraft was controlled completely by a ground operator using ATC datalink and voice transmissions. The only thing the safety pilots had to do was take off and land as the auto land was inop.
' The UAV has to file a flight plan like ordinary flightr, and this is also entered into its control computer as part of its mission programme. it is then controlled by pilots operating a console on the ground....'
Whilst the technology is not completely radical, i do think its the first time it's been used in a civvie aircraft in controlled airspace (ie with other aircraft operating in the same airspace).
Like i said the technology is coming quicker than you think.
cheerso