Effects of Camera Configurations on Target Observation that is Performed from an Uninhabited Air Vehicle

Abstract

Participants acted as observers for flights of an uninhabited air vehicle (UAV) that were simulated using a desk-top virtual environment (VE). Observations were made using either one, two, or three on-board cameras which provided an integrated field of view (FOV) of up to 40° X 90° (the FOV of each camera was 40° X 30°). During each flight, participants had to detect and recognize targets, and after each flight participants had to recall targets' positions on a plan view. As more cameras were added, participants were able to detect and recognize the targets from further away. The additional cameras (and, hence, display area) had no effect on the accuracy of participants' recall. However, participants' recall accuracy was 60% worse in the direction of the UAV's flight path than perpendicular to the flight path.