Human-systems integration challenges in resilient multi-UAV operation

Abstract

Operating multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) simultaneously gives superior mission coverage but creates human-systems integration challenges as well as joint human-system performance challenges. For example, when disrupting events happen, one can use multiple resilience techniques to recover from them. Some require human-in-the-loop response while others require humans to act in a backup capacity. Often these recovery mechanisms require context switching – something that humans are not good at because they have cognitive limitations. This paper examines multi-UAV operations from the perspective of different human roles and identifies challenges that exist when human operators are in the loop and have to adapt and context switch in response to the system’s adaptive behavior.