[PakG1]

we are painfully reminded that the sky is not our natural element.

Isn't that also something else? There are evolutionary characteristics in bird brains that enable them to react the way they need to survive in the air? Even with the best machine learning algorithms, would we really be able to replicate that intelligence within a single generation? Maybe, stranger things have happened, but I doubt it. Certainly, I doubt human pilots would be able to replicate it, I think AI would have a better chance, but that's still scary.

[jacquesm]

I saw a 3D flocking demo in the 80's that looked eerily natural. Mindblowing at the time and the whole thing revolved around only 4 parameters and some simple formulas. Emergent behaviour at its finest so replicating that would not be all that hard. Getting the machinery in place to obey the signals is a lot harder.