Training UAS Pilots for Divided Attention Demands With Cognitive Tasks and NIST Courses

Abstract

Uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) operators often monitor multiple channels of information, such as radio communications and tracking visual targets. We investigated how exposing pilots to divided attention tasks during flights impacted performance and their improvement with practice. Pilots completed a UAS course combined with visual and auditory cognitive tasks over several sessions. We found that flight efficiency and performance on the cognitive tasks decreased under divided attention. Flight performance also improved over the course of the sessions, including in conditions of divided visual attention. The tested procedure is promising for training purposes in which operators will encounter high cognitive demands.

Keywords

uncrewed aircraft systems drone cognitive load working memory human factors dual-task cost

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