Human Performance in UAS Operations in Construction and Infrastructure Environments

Abstract

Current studies have addressed the significant potential of technology integration in construction and infrastructure environments; however, they have not sufficiently explored the human aspects of this integration, such as users' cognitive capabilities and task performance. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can enhance work performance for various purposes. However, the abilities required of UAS operators have not been addressed, even though the topic is critical for safe and effective operations. The main goals of this research were to evaluate human performance, identify the relationship between performance and experience, and describe the resulting implications and future research possibilities. To achieve these goals, practitioners were recruited from a state highway agency to conduct UAS construction site inspections. This study measured both task and cognitive performances during the experiments. A thematic analysis was conducted to discern patterns within the data set collected during the experiment. The main contribution of this work is a better understanding of the relationship between human performance and UAS uses. In addition, this study highlights opportunities for future UAS studies in construction and infrastructure environments.