Are you talking about Ekranoplans? Like the A90 Orlyonok?
I can't remember, but I did see photos of a water bomber with this configuration. The article continued that research was being done on a huge ground effect freight a/c that could ply their trade over the oceans 24/7. They might not have been pilotless, but with todays RPV technology there is no reason why not.
Airline managers already treat pilots as machines. They treat pax like muppets who will chase the lowest price. Just think where crews would be without FTL's. It would be frightening. 18hr a/c with triple autopilots and 1 crew. It's not long ago, in Italy, that I flew under outrageous tiring FTL's; way wosre than current EASA rules that have pushed boundaries of CAP371. Self service pax drinks machines, or bring your own grub. If managers could turn the a/c into an airborne train with 1 driver and no cabin crew they would do it.