Why optionally crewed aircraft do not eliminate test risk

Can optionally crewed aircraft be developed faster because tests need not endanger pilots?

Some work can be safer, but programs usually begin with certified crewed airframes and still carry a pilot during early autonomous trials.

Removing a test pilot from routine control does not remove the need to prove the airframe and its flight behavior. Current experimentation reduces risk by starting with aircraft whose structures and handling are already certified. Engineers then add optional control modes while a human remains aboard and can take over if the system fails. That approach advances autonomy without pretending remote control eliminates structural certification or all danger to test crews.