@Svarin
" Why is this thread degenerating into considerations on fully automated flight ?"
It is certainly not "degenerating" in that way, why do you consider it so?
"Why do people who are not pilots at all, and likely unable to ever become one, dream of aircraft that fly themselves ?"
I don't know, why don't you ask them? But I would guess that they see the potential, the reality and as humans will, they want to exploit the technology.
The smoke screen may well be a useful and warranted device for this particular emergency, what is wrong with considering more wide ranging help?
PS, it isn't a dream anymore.