Just over 100 years ago in Paris two men flew in a biplane along the River Seine, lined with spectators. When one pilot lifted his hands in the air and the other walked out onto the wing it was the first public demonstration of autopilot. In the plane that day were two men. French mechanic Emil Cachin and American aviation pioneer Lawrence Sperry. Sperry was the son of the famous inventor and entrepreneur Elmer A. Sperry, often referred to as the "father of modern navigation technology." He created several companies during his lifetime, including an electric, mining machine and fuse wire company.

Lawrence Sperry (left) about to test his gyroscopic autopilot Glenn H. Curtiss Aviation Museum

But then he established the Sperry Gyroscope company, a business that grew to become a global technological powerhouse. Elmer's company turned the gyroscope, a children's toy, into usable technology to help tackle real-world problems. Among his creations were a version of the gyrocompass, used by the U.S. Navy and adopted by many other countries during the first world war. Over this period, he also developed a gyro pilot system for ship's steering and built the first full gun battery fire control system. He also designed a gyro stabilizer, designed for ships, to reduce the roll caused by waves, particularly during rough conditions. Lawrence Sperry's original aircraft gyroscopic autopilot was a smaller, lighter version of the gyro stabilizer based on the same principles.

Elmer Sperry holding a gyroscope Library of Congress | Getty Images