1. Human Factors Research in
Unmanned Aerial Systems
Lisa Jo Elliott, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Human Factors Engineer
ljelliott@usf.edu

2. Briefing.
• Importance of Human Factors research in UAS
• Breadth of research problems
• Challenges to continued research
• Toward solutions

3. Importance of HF in UAS
• Safety- Large UA systems safety is a fraction
of manned aircraft.
• Standardization- Controls, System
Behavior, types and behavior of automation
differs by manufacturer and system.
• Operators- who makes the best operators?

4. Breadth of Research Problems
Class Payload Operators Use Visual Who
1-Micro UAS Sensors One
external
Observation,
Firefighting…
External
Observers
All
2-Mini UAS Sensors One
external
Observation and
detection,
Agriculture…
External
Observers
All
3- Tactical
UAS
Sensors,
small
payload
At least
external,
internal
Observation,
detection and
some action
External
Observers,
Chase Plane
All
4- HALE Unlimited More than
two
All, flight restricted Chase Plane Gov’t or
Industry
5- UCAS unlimited Many all, flight restricted Chase Plane Gov’t

5. Research Problems- Human Side
Large Systems
• Cannot see the plane with
many controls, many
operators with different roles.
• Teams & Communication
• Automation
• Selection, Training, Simulation
• Psychosocial Issues
• Vigilance and fatigue
• NAS Integration
• Sensor Data…
Small Systems
• Can see the plane but few
controls and single operator
• Situation Awareness
• Secondary Control
• Cognitive Reversals
• Perceptual Judgments
• Detect, Sense, and Avoid
• Multiple UAS
• Selection, Training…

6. Research Problems- System side
Large Systems
• Survivability of System $$$
• Loss of Link
• System Design (control
station, external view).
• Communication
• Automation
• Vigilance and fatigue
• Alienation of host
populations
• Sensor Data
Small Systems
• Control Station Design
• Control of multiple UAS
• Interoperability
• Detect, Sense, and Avoid
• Communication with ATC,
NOTAM, live feed
• Loss of Link
• Sensor Data
• NAS integration

7. Research Problems and Findings
- Dr. Yu Zhang
- Small UAS for Agriculture
- NMSU-PSL UAS FTC
Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Systems Book
Observer Perception
Control Reversal
Task Load Index Subjective Workload for UAS
- Human Factors and Ergonomic Society
- www.hfes.org

8. Challenges & Solutions
• Challenges
• System cost
• FAA COA
• Funding Mechanisms-
contracts, few grants
• Flight Test Centers –
Population Density
• Toward Solutions
• Open source simulation
platforms for research
• Clearer guidance on COA
for Research
• National Robotics
Initiative
• FAA Flight Test Centers