Unpalatable as it seems, I see it as a reality with time frame described.
and
Personally, given the inevitable progress of computing power, I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the future. The only question is WHEN, not IF.
and finally
From an economic perspective, pilotless UAV aircraft are inevitable
First, please go back and read my post #5 re security, until there is no more terrorism unmanned, ground controlled,
isn't going to happen.
There are plenty of countries who have a rather relaxed approach to security as well as some who may sympathise with a terrorist cause and it is in these that an attack would occur, not Europe or the USA and as East and West bound aircraft continued uncontrolled, it would create carnage of biblical proportions.
It would only take one successful attack to cause the system to be abandoned, just think of the cost of setting the system up, abandoning it and resurrecting a viable system, i.e. pilots and ATC, so much safer and so much cheaper to stick to a system that is proven and works.
One more point, there is not one single aviation insurance underwriter that would countenance such a vulnerable system as unmanned civil aircraft, no insurance cover equals No Fly.