# Situational Awareness and Problems of Its Formation in the Tasks of UAV Behavior Control
## 3 The Situation and Situational Awareness in Behavior Control Problem for UAV  
As noted above, the essential element in ensuring the \"smart\" behavior of a UAV is forming situational awareness for its control system. Let us clarify the interpretation of the situation and situational awareness in terms of the behavior control problem for UAVs. Let us first introduce the necessary definitions and then reveal the meaning of the concepts contained in these definitions. **Definition 1**. : _Situation \(\Lambda(\mathcal{R}^{W},t)\) is the state at time \(t\) for a \(\mathcal{R}^{W}\) fragment of objective reality (Real World) in which the UAV is performing a flight operation._  
**Definition 2**. : _The scene \(\mathcal{S}^{\mathcal{RW}}(\Lambda)\) is the result of a representation of the situation \(\Lambda(\mathcal{R}^{W},t)\) in some perceiving medium._  
**Definition 3**. : _Situation awareness \(\Lambda^{\mathcal{A}}(\mathcal{S}^{\mathcal{RW}},\Gamma)\) is information extracted from scene \(\mathcal{S}^{\mathcal{RW}}(\Lambda)\), according to the set of control goals \(\Gamma\)._  
Let us now explain the concepts used in these definitions. Definition 1 is based on the concept of objective reality and its fragment \(\mathcal{R}^{W}\), and on the notion of the state at time \(t\) of the fragment \(\Lambda(\mathcal{R}^{W},t)\). This state will be further referred to as the situation at time \(t\) or the current situation (see also (14) and (15)). _Objective reality_ is a set of air and/or water environments, phenomena and objects in them; and land and/or water surfaces and objects on them. The UAV under consideration is one of the elements of objective reality and its fragment \(\mathcal{R}^{W}\). Here, phenomena in the air environment (atmospheric phenomena) are visible manifestations of physical and chemical processes occurring in the Earth's air shell, i.e., in its atmosphere. It is commonplace to distinguish between several types of atmospheric phenomena [81; 82; 83; 84]. The first type includes water droplets or ice particles floating in the air (clouds, fogs); precipitation falling out of the atmosphere (rain, snow, hail, etc. ); precipitation formed on the ground and objects (dew, frost, ice, etc. ); precipitation lifted by a wind from the Earth's surface (blizzard, etc.). The second includes the transfer of dust (sand) by the wind from the Earth's surface (dust or sandstorms) or solid particles suspended in the atmosphere (dust, smoke, cinder, etc.). Thirdly are phenomena related to convective transport (ascending and descending air movements), namely, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Fourthly, there are various kinds of electrical phenomena related to light and sound manifestations of atmospheric electricity (thunderstorms, dusk, ball lightning, polar lights, etc.). Finally, the fifth type includes optical phenomena caused by refraction and diffraction of light in the atmosphere (rainbows, mirage, dawn, etc.). Objects in the air environment are, first of all, flying vehicles of various kinds and birds. In addition, other types of objects, such as a variety of objects carried by air currents, may also be in the air environment. The phenomena in the aquatic environment [84] include such things as waves; storms; typhoons; tsunamis; floods; and ice formation, melting, movement, and compression. Objects in the aquatic environment are underwater vehicles of various kinds, inhabitants of the depths, icebergs, etc. Objects on the Earth and/or water's surface [85; 86; 87; 88; 89] are any objects of natural and/or artificial origin. The above elements of objective reality, if they are part of the fragment \(\mathcal{R}^{W}\), generate the external components of the situation \(\lambda_{ext}(t)\in\Lambda_{ext}\). The internal components of the situation \(\lambda_{int}(t)\in\Lambda_{int}\) are generated by the behavior of the UAV as a controlled object and as an object of monitoring of the UAV \"health state\" [67; 68; 69]. These components are discussed in more detail below.