Technical Approach:

For manned aircraft, pilots utilize motions, sounds etc. to give them situational awareness of the aircraft. This at times can cause them to override automation when necessary. UAV pilots lack this advantage are completely reliant on the automation and visual representation of the state of the vehicle. Motion can improve a pilot’s reaction time and “shared fate” can lower the chance of taking unnecessary high risks.
A 4dof flight simulator motion platform is used along with a wireless avionics package and a UAV to relay motion of the UAV to the pilot. Flight simulation software is also used to test and evaluate the system in a virtual near earth environments.

Motivation:

• Tremendous opportunities for UAV applications in the civilian market but UAV accidents occur at 100 times more than commercial airlines. Current techniques for controlling UAVs has led to pilots making unnecessary high risk maneuvers leading to accidents.
• We address this issue by using motion platform technology to relay the UAV motions to the pilot and recreating a “shared fate” sensation.
• The project goals are to assess the shared fate hypothesis and understand how motion cueing can improve UAV operation.
• This vertically advances the field because it should improve UAV operations and minimize accidents.

Results:

• Tests have shown successful wireless transmission of motion from the avionics package to the motion platform.
• Field tests have validated the real time wireless transmission of flight controls, video, and motion data.
• Simulation software has proven to be a valuable tool for assessing shared fate and UAV operations in near earth environments.

Future Directions:

Future work will evaluate UAV rotorcraft as this proves to be the most suitable vehicle for near earth operations and pilots can benefit the most from the motion cueing.

James Hing, Paul Oh, "Development of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Piloting System with Integrated Motion Cueing for Training and Pilot Evaluation", Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, 2008

Contact: Prof. Paul Oh, Director, Drexel Autonomous Systems Lab, Email: paul@coe.drexel.edu