Optimizing the presentation of UAV images in an attack helicopter cockpit

Optimizing the presentation of UAV images in an attack helicopter cockpit

Jansen, C.
de Vries, S.C.
Duistermaat, M.
TNO Defensie en Veiligheid

2006

Future Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) will collaborate more directly with military manned aircraft. TNO Defence, Security and Safety investigated how to present UAV sensor images in a fighter aircraft cockpit in order to maximize target identification and flying performance. Ten military pilots performed several Close Air Support missions in a helicopter simulator using four different display configurations. The orientation of the electronic map was either North-Up or Heading-Up. The UAV sensor image was either non-aligned (unadjusted image orientation: the image is presented as seen from the UAV viewpoint), or aligned with the orientation of the electronic map (adjusted image orientation, either resulting in a North-Up orientation or a Heading-Up orientation with respect to the helicopter, depending on the orientation of the electronic map). The pilots reported that they generally preferred the aligned UAV sensor image in combination with a Heading-Up map. This preference was reflected in their performance: targets were identified twice as fast, and the waypoint trajectory was flown more efficiently.

aviation Defence
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Displays
Helicopters
Military
Flight simulators
Image analysis
Military aircraft
Target tracking
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)
Electronic maps
Image orientation
Target identification
Image sensors

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:1f427ba2-ea3b-4d03-86b2-0a46c005e0cc

16572

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society., Santa Monica

9780945289296

50th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, HFES 2006, 16 October 2006 through 20 October 2006, San Francisco, 131-135

conference paper