One question that I would add to the discussion that i am sure someone working in optical or satellite communications might be able to weigh in on.
What are the lag or latency time limits for piloting an aircraft that is over the mid-Pacific for example? I use this for the distances from a ground station. Should the aircraft need to make an emergency landing in, for example, American Samoa, would there not need to be a local signal station giving the commands? Just as a drone can be flown from around the world but needs local control for the takeoff and landing--after all, anything travelling to/from a satellite still requires some time and that time cannot be too great in the flare.
It seems that a rather severe PIO could be induced if there are significant time lags in addition to the precise and timely guidance needed for the critical phases of flight.
How would one ensure this could be covered along the entire route of flight?