The passenger aviation industry has embraced electronic automation. Fully autonomous passenger flight is a near-future technical possibility, but questions remain regarding how potential air travellers might receive such a technological leap. This paper contributes to and expands the existing literature on public perceptions of autonomous flight, presenting the results of an exploratory study of non-expert anticipatory assumptions (AA). A new collaborative storytelling futures method was designed, combining the benefits of the functions of stories as anticipatory systems with the stronger participatory advantages of games. The study conducted three focus groups with self-selected public participants to generate participatory stories set in futures where autonomous aircraft were prevalent. The qualitative analysis of the stories demonstrates that non-experts situate their beliefs and attitudes towards new technologies within frameworks indebted to their present cultural and political context. Public perception of autonomous flight is determined by AA including technological failure, the trustworthiness of business and governments, and the climate crisis. Work remains to be done if relevant stakeholders wish to communicate potential positive effects of autonomous flight technology. This research demonstrates the value of collaborative storytelling as a highly adaptable method to generate futures involving a wide variety of technologies.

客运航空业已经接受了电子自动化。完全自主的客运飞行是一种不久的将来的技术可能性，但是关于潜在的航空旅行者如何获得这种技术飞跃仍然存在疑问。本文对有关公众对自主飞行的认知的现有文献做出了贡献，并对其进行了扩展，并提出了非专家预期假设（AA）的探索性研究结果。设计了一种新的协作式讲故事的未来方法，将故事作为预期系统的功能的好处与游戏的较强参与性相结合。这项研究与自选的公众参与者进行了三个焦点小组的讨论，以产生在自动驾驶飞机盛行的未来中设定的参与性故事。对这些故事的定性分析表明，非专家将其对新技术的信念和态度置于其当前文化和政治背景所欠缺的框架内。公众对自主飞行的看法取决于机管局，包括技术故障，企业和政府的信任度以及气候危机。如果相关利益攸关方希望交流自动飞行技术的潜在积极影响，则仍有工作要做。这项研究表明了协作叙事的价值，因为它是一种高度适应性的方法，可以产生涉及多种技术的期货。公众对自主飞行的看法取决于机管局，包括技术故障，企业和政府的信任度以及气候危机。如果相关利益攸关方希望交流自动飞行技术的潜在积极影响，则仍有工作要做。这项研究表明了协作叙事的价值，因为它是一种高度适应性的方法，可以产生涉及多种技术的期货。公众对自主飞行的看法取决于机管局，包括技术故障，企业和政府的信任度以及气候危机。如果相关利益攸关方希望交流自动飞行技术的潜在积极影响，则仍有工作要做。这项研究表明了协作叙事的价值，因为它是一种高度适应性的方法，可以产生涉及多种技术的期货。