People aren't even considering that once it becomes a solved problem, the next company that wants to do it gets the knowledge for free. Figuring out the engineering also has value.
Other uses for autonomous solar airplanes? Delivering medicine and supplies to remote areas?
> Other uses for autonomous solar airplanes? Delivering medicine and supplies to remote areas?
Or even, say in five to ten years when the cost of the technology drops, delivering unrestricted, high speed internet to hundreds of millions of people.