Autopilot (armed automation)

Autopilot is the component of a trading platform that lets a saved strategy send real orders to a connected broker account without a human click per order. Because it removes the click, it is guarded: it does nothing until the trader explicitly arms it, it runs under configured loss and size limits, and a STOP control disarms it and flattens the position.

Senzoukria · Glossary · Updated September 2026

One path from decision to broker

A strategy script decides; something must translate that decision into an order. Autopilot is that single translation point. Keeping it single matters: every order that leaves the machine automatically passes through one place where limits are checked, the session window is enforced and the STOP control can intervene. A strategy running in replay or on a simulated account never touches this path.

Guards that make automation tolerable

  • Explicit arming: the trader performs a deliberate action to switch it on, and the armed state is not remembered across restarts.
  • A maximum daily loss and a maximum number of contracts, checked before each order.
  • A session window outside of which no decision is taken, optionally flattening when the window closes.
  • A STOP that disarms and requests flattening; after it, no automatic resumption.
  • An acknowledgement that the account's firm permits automated trading, because many funded accounts forbid it.

What autopilot does not guarantee

A flatten request is a request. The broker's response, slippage, partial fills and connection loss are outside the application's control, so the trader remains responsible for checking positions and working orders at the broker after any stop. Application limits reduce exposure; they do not remove execution risk. A profitable backtest does not arm anything and does not prove that the firm allows automation.

In Senzoukria

The "Autopilot" panel on the Trading page reads: "Runs one of your strategies on THIS account, one decision per closed bar, with real orders. Nothing leaves until you arm it; STOP disarms and flattens." You pick a saved "Strategy" from the Scripting page, set "Max daily loss ($)", "Max contracts", "Session from (local)" and "Session to (local)", optionally "Flatten when the session window closes", and tick an acknowledgement that your prop firm allows automated trading on this account. Arming requires typing a confirmation word, then pressing "Arm"; the badge shows "ARMED · {symbol}". The controls are "Disarm (keep positions)" and "STOP — disarm and flatten", after which the panel shows "STOPPED" and requires you to verify positions and working orders on the original broker account before "Release the stop". It runs only on a compatible Rithmic connection with the desktop, the connection and the chart kept open; the AI assistant can read the autopilot's state but cannot arm it.

Common mistakes

  • Arming on a funded account whose contract forbids automated trading.
  • Assuming STOP confirmed a flat position; check the broker's own positions and working orders.
  • Leaving the chart or the desktop closed and expecting decisions to continue.
  • Treating the daily loss limit as a guarantee against a larger loss under slippage or a disconnect.

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Frequently asked questions

Does autopilot restart by itself after a STOP?
No. After STOP the strategy is disarmed and a flatten is requested; the state stays stopped until the trader checks the broker account and releases the stop by hand. Releasing does not re-arm and does not confirm any broker state. Automatic resumption is deliberately absent.
Can the AI assistant arm the autopilot for me?
No. The assistant can read application context, including scripts and the autopilot's state, but it places no orders and cannot arm the strategy. Arming is a manual action that requires typing a confirmation word, and it is never persisted.
Do prop firms allow autopilot trading?
It depends on the firm and the account type; some permit automation and several funded programmes forbid it outright. The acknowledgement in the panel asks you to confirm your own contract. Software capability and firm permission are separate questions, and only the firm's current rules answer the second.

Keep reading

Strategy researchTest a trading strategy, from observation to challenge rulesDefine an observation, question it with the copilot, write a rule and explore costs, drawdown and fictional challenge limits in an interactive example.Quant · Start hereQuant trading for beginners: from idea to backtestDefine a testable rule, choose suitable data and evaluate later periods after costs.Order flow · HubOrder flow trading: the complete guideThe hub. What order flow is, what it shows — aggression, delta, imbalance, absorption, liquidity — and the tools that read it, each linked to a full guide.