towards combining uav and sensor operator roles in uav-enabled visual search
Wilderness search and rescue (WiSAR) is a challenging problem because of the large areas and often rough terrain that must be searched. Using mini-UAVs to deliver aerial video to searchers has potential to support WiSAR efforts, but a number of technology and human factors problems must be overcome to make this practical. At the source of many of these problems is a desire to manage the UAV using as few people as possible, so that more people can be used in ground-based search efforts. This paper uses observations from two informal studies and one formal experiment to identify what human operators may be unaware of as a function of autonomy and information display. Results suggest that progress is being made on designing autonomy and information displays that may make it possible for a single human to simultaneously manage the UAV and its camera in WiSAR, but that adaptable displays that support systematic navigation are probably needed.
unmanned aerial vehicle ecological interface user study human-robot interaction