Human-Machine Interface Development for Common Airborne Sense and Avoid Program

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual

et al. 2015

Minimum display requirements and performance standards for Detect and Avoid (DAA) systems are currently being developed to safely integrate Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the National Airspace System (NAS). The present study examines UAS pilots' subjective assessments of four display configurations with either basic or advanced levels of information presented on a standalone or integrated display. Post-trial and post-simulation questionnaires queried pilots on their subjective ability to safely perform tasks and effectively utilize available information on each display. Responses indicated that the majority of pilots considered each display to be acceptable for a pilot-in-the-loop DAA task overall, but also revealed a strong preference for an integrated display with advanced information in the form of conflict resolution tools. Implications on the development of DAA display requirements, as well as the relation between the subjective evaluations and the objective performance data from previous studies are discussed.

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Display Location and Information Level on UAS Pilot Assessments of a Detect and Avoid System

Monk

Shively

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual

et al. 2015

“…The human factors researchers had to make the case to Special Committee 228 that the data from these human-in-the-loop simulations justified having the MOPS include information beyond the basic elements identified by Friedman-Berg et al (2014) and Draper et al (2014). Through presentations to the committee and working group meetings, the human factors researchers were successful in convincing the group to require maneuver guidance, which was the key addition provided by the advanced displays, as a minimum requirement.…”

Section: Should Advanced Information Elements Be Included? If So Howmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Factors Contributions to the Development of Standards for Displays of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Support of Detect-and-Avoid

Rorie

et al. 2020

Hum Factors

Objective The aim is to provide a high-level synthesis of human factors research that contributed to the development of detect-and-avoid display requirements for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Background The integration of UAS into the U.S. National Airspace System is a priority under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Modernization and Reform Act. For UAS to have routine access to the National Airspace System, UAS must have detect-and-avoid capabilities. One human factors challenge is to determine how to display information effectively to remote pilots for performing detect-and-avoid tasks. Method A high-level review of research informing the display requirements for UAS detect-and-avoid is provided. In addition, description of the contributions of human factors researchers in the writing of the requirements is highlighted. Results Findings from human-in-the-loop simulations are used to illustrate how evidence-based guidelines and requirements were established for the display of information to assist pilots in performing detect-and-avoid. Implications for human factors are discussed. Conclusion Human factors researchers and engineers made many contributions to generate the data used to justify the detect-and-avoid display requirements. Human factors researchers must continue to be involved in the development of standards to ensure that requirements are evidence-based and take into account human operator performance and human factors principles and guidelines. Application The research presented in this paper is relevant to the design of UAS, the writing of standards and requirements, and the work in human–systems integration.

“…A survey conducted by Draper, Pack, Darrah, Moulton, & Calhoun 12 , found that the majority of pilots surveyed indicated that the following information should be present at all times on a DAA display: intruder identification, intruder location, intruder relative position, intruder threat/alert level, DAA task priorities and status, DAA maneuver recommendations, flight restrictions, weather, navigation data, and visual alerts.…”

Section: Daa Displaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Evaluation of Detect and Avoid (DAA) Displays for Unmanned Aircraft Systems: The Effect of Information Level and Display Location on Pilot Performance

15th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference

Rorie

Pack³

et al. 2015

A consortium of government, industry and academia is currently working to establish minimum operational performance standards for Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Control and Communications (C2) systems in order to enable broader integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). One subset of these performance standards will need to address the DAA display requirements that support an acceptable level of pilot performance. From a pilot's perspective, the DAA task is the maintenance of self separation and collision avoidance from other aircraft, utilizing the available information and controls within the Ground Control Station (GCS), including the DAA display. The pilot-in-the-loop DAA task requires the pilot to carry out three major functions: 1) detect a potential threat, 2) determine an appropriate resolution maneuver, and 3) execute that resolution maneuver via the GCS control and navigation interface(s). The purpose of the present study was to examine two main questions with respect to DAA display considerations that could impact pilots' ability to maintain well clear from other aircraft. First, what is the effect of a minimum (or basic) information display compared to an advanced information display on pilot performance? Second, what is the effect of display location on UAS pilot performance? Two levels of information level (basic, advanced) were compared across two levels of display location (standalone, integrated), for a total of four displays. The authors propose an eight-stage pilot-DAA interaction timeline from which several pilot response time metrics can be extracted. These metrics were compared across the four display conditions. The results indicate that the advanced displays had faster overall response times compared to the basic displays, however, there were no significant differences between the standalone and integrated displays. Implications of the findings on understanding pilot performance on the DAA task, the development of DAA display performance standards, as well as the need for future research are discussed.