I think the bean counters will push for unmanned airplanes because it looks good on paper but they have no concept of the realities. It will be difficult to MEL items on an aircraft that needs to fly with everything working. How does an unmanned aircraft fly with auto-throttles, auto fuel systems and other "auto" systems inoperative? Stuff breaks all the time and real live human pilots take up the slack flying with numerous MEL stickers everyday! This science fiction looks great on paper but the realities are, it will cost an air carrier way more than paying a human being to fly an aircraft.